CAR ROLLS TWICE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 10

CAR ROLLS TWICE

Couple Prised Out Unhurt

A 52-year-old grocer, Mr R W. Gowans, and his wife, Dorothy, who are leaving Christchurch this morning on a holiday visit to the United States, were not harmed when their car rolled over twice and came to rest upside down, after a collision with another car last evening. The car is a write-off. The collision occurred at the corner of Barbadoes street and Edgeware road. Two policemen, three traffic officers and two ambulance drivers had to turn the crushed car on to its wheels and jemmy open the twisted doors before Mr and Mrs Gowans could be released. The car was equipped with safety belts. Mrs Gowans was strapped in the front seat. Mr Gowans, who was driving, did not have his safety belt fastened. "We were only going a short distance, and I have developed the bad habit on such occasions of hopping into the driver's seat and not worrying about the safety belt,” said Mr Gowans afterwards at his home, 128 Warrington street, St. Albans. “I will be fastening it on all future occasions, you can rest assured.”

“Safety belts are great.” said Mrs Gowans. "We would not be without them.” The Gowans’s car, a 1961 model, was the same make -as the other one involved in the collision, a 1965 model. The second car was extensively damaged in front, but nobody in it was hurt.