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🇦🇺 Australia /Disasters & Emergencies

P-Plate Driver Recounts 'Terrifying' Ordeal After Crashing into Cows

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A P-plate driver, Hervic Declarador, 19, described his "terrifying" experience after crashing into a herd of cows.
  • The accident occurred at 110 km/h on a dark, unlit highway, killing several cows and destroying his new ute.
  • Declarador was blinded by the high beams of a parked car attempting to warn him, leaving him with no time to brake.

A 19-year-old P-plate driver has recounted the "terrifying" ordeal of crashing his car into a herd of cows on a dark country highway, an accident that resulted in the deaths of several animals and the destruction of his new vehicle. Hervic Declarador was traveling at 110 kilometers per hour on the South Coast Highway near Marbelup, Western Australia, when the incident occurred.

I was just driving normally and then everything exploded in my face ... I had ringing in my ears, and everything went black, and there were airbags all over me.

— Hervic DeclaradorDescribing the immediate aftermath of colliding with the herd of cows.

Declarador, who had purchased his ute just two weeks prior, described the moment of impact as sudden and disorienting. "Everything exploded in my face... I had ringing in my ears, and everything went black, and there were airbags all over me," he said. He explained that as he rounded a corner, he was momentarily blinded by the high beams of a car parked on the roadside. This car's driver was attempting to alert motorists to the presence of the cows, but the blinding lights instead obscured the danger until it was too late.

It was terrifying, it just happened too fast.

— Hervic DeclaradorRecounting the speed and suddenness of the accident.

"I was only 15 metres away from the cows, give or take, and I didn't have time to brake... I just smashed right into them," Declarador stated. He initially thought his car, equipped with safety features, had sustained only minor damage. However, upon exiting the vehicle, he witnessed the extent of the carnage, including a live cow on the ground that appeared to be in distress.

I was only 15 metres away from the cows, give or take, and I didn't have time to brake ... I just smashed right into them.

— Hervic DeclaradorExplaining the lack of reaction time due to being blinded by another vehicle's lights.

Police Superintendent John Munday confirmed that approximately 50 cows had wandered onto the road after a tree, felled by strong winds, damaged a fence. Officers at the scene found four cows dead and euthanized three others that were injured. Munday acknowledged the parked car's driver, suggesting they were likely trying to help, but noted the unintended consequence of their warning.

There was a cow on the ground, still alive, couldn't move, looking at me with tears in its eyes.

— Hervic DeclaradorDescribing the distressing scene after the crash.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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