A driver who broke down in Peterborough on Friday (August 5) escaped what could have been serious injuries after a skip lorry ploughed into the back of his van.

The driver made sure they were out of their vehicle and behind the crash barrier as soon as it was safe to do so.

An image released by Cambridgeshire Constabulary after the incident highlights the dangers of staying in a vehicle after breaking down.

A spokesperson said: “If you breakdown on a motorway or dual carriageway, make sure you’re out of the vehicle and behind the crash barrier as soon as possible.

“Fortunately, the driver of this van had done exactly that so there were no injuries when this skip lorry ploughed into the back of it in Peterborough.”

Since posting the image on social media, over 100 people have commented on it.

One person said “We were in the queue to this accident; certainly looked a bad one when we eventually reached it” while another added “Wow! What started as a breakdown is now a write-off!"

More information on what you should do if you see, or are involved in a collision or road incident is available on Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s website.