A TEENAGER remained critically ill in hospital last night after an horrific crash in Lindley.
The girl – who has not been named – sustained serious head injuries after the Vauxhall Corsa she was travelling in hit a Honda Civic coming the other way.
The accident happened on Kirkwood Drive at the junction with Kirkwood Green at 6.30pm on Wednesday night.
Emergency services rushed to the crash scene and the road was closed for several hours to allow traffic police to investigate.
It is understood that the teenager was in the back of the Corsa travelling along Kirkwood Drive with three boys, when the collision took place.
The girl suffered serious head injuries and was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and later transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.
Her condition is described as critical.
Mr Bill Blackburn, who lives in Kirkwood Drive, said: “It was terrible.
“There were three lads and a girl in the Vauxhall Corsa and they were coming down the road.
“It looks as though they lost it on a sharp bend and collided with a Honda coming the other way.
“The airbags in both cars went off but I think the girl was in the back of the Corsa.
“Police closed the road and it remained closed for several hours.
“They were there with measuring tapes and taking photographs until after 11pm.”
He said the residential road was often used as a rat-run by motorists between Crosland Road and Plover Road.
He added: “It is quite a busy road as a lot of people use it to cut through to and from Lindley.
One morning, in the space of 30 minutes, I counted 50 cars.”
But Lindley ward councillor Christine Stanfield said the high volume of
traffic was due to the number of homes on the estate.
She said: “There are around 200 homes on that estate so there are a lot of people with a lot of cars.
“It is a very densely packed estate with about seven different cul-de-sacs.
“Kirkwood Drive is a very windy road, it has a series of bends. It just proves that even at the right speed, these sorts of roads can be really dangerous.
“I am devastated to hear about this accident, it is awful and my thoughts are with the young girl’s family.”
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “A Vauxhall Corsa travelling along Kirkwood Drive out of the estate was in collision with a Honda Civic travelling in the opposite direction.
“A 17-year-old girl was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and transferred to Leeds General Infirmary with head injuries.
“She is currently in a critical condition.”
Anybody who witnessed the incident is asked to contact PC 308 Shaw on 01484 436847.
