Warning: This story contains content about death and serious injuries sustained in a drink driving accident.
Almost 12 years ago, Harriet’s life was thrown off course.
She and her best friend Rebecca, both 21 at the time, were waiting at a bus stop in Birmingham en route to a hen party, when they were both struck by a vehicle driven by a drunk driver who, while racing another car at high speeds of over 100mph, lost control.
Rebecca died at the scene, while Harriet fell into a coma and was left with life changing physical and mental injuries. These include a subarachnoid haemorrhage (a type of stroke), brain bleeding and bruising, double vision, punctured lungs, a long list of broken bones including six bones in her neck, collar bone, sacrum (tailbone), left humerus, right wrist, shattered right pelvis, all the bones in her left leg, and her sciatic nerve was severed leaving her with a paralysed foot she can’t move or feel. She mobilises using a foot splint, crutches and a wheelchair. The traumatic brain injury caused chronic fatigue and bipolar disorder with psychosis, which has resulted in sectioning twice so far.
She uses her social media platforms to bravely share her story and raise awareness of the dangers of drink driving, as well as dangerous driving and speeding, in the hope it might lead to changes that protect and save lives.
She's also writing a memoir about her experience, named ‘Thrown’, ahead of seeking publication. It explores the aftermath of the crash, raising awareness of the impacts of dangerous driving and psychosis, and shares a message of resilience.
Harriet said: “Mine and Beccy’s story is an extreme example of what can happen when people drink alcohol and get behind the wheel.
“We all know alcohol dulls our judgement; that’s part of why people drink. But when that edge disappears, so does the ability to make safe decisions.
"From slowing our brain’s reaction times and influencing our decision making – meaning we’re more likely to take risks – these impacts start to happen even at what many of us might consider lower drinking levels, and, even more worryingly, when we might be within the current legal limit.
“When it comes to driving, it’s simply not worth the risk. Just because we’ve been able to legally drive at the current limit doesn’t mean we should continue to, especially now that we know better.
“Knowing that England has one of the highest legal limits in the world is shocking to me – any stubbornness to hold on to the current drink driving limit, despite the huge number of people killed and seriously injured in crashes involving alcohol, is mind-boggling.
“I understand that drinking alcohol and driving home doesn’t mean that you’re setting out to hurt anyone. But the absence of intent doesn’t mean the risk should be accepted.
“If my experience can help to encourage policy and lawmakers to make changes that would prevent further harm and deaths, or stop one person from driving after drinking alcohol, then it’s worth sharing.”
