A MOTHER says she and her daughter are lucky to be alive after they survived a crash with a lorry at a dangerous set of crossroads where the road markings have worn away.
Clare Stone, of Dog Chase, Wethersfield, was travelling with her 16-month-old daughter Isabel, friend Suzy Clark, 37, and her two-year-old son Michael when she failed to stop at a crossroads in Little Totham where she should have given way.
Ms Stone, 35, whose Volkswagen Passat was written off, told the Chronicle: "When I approached the junction the first thing I saw was a lorry. It hit the right-hand side of my car, we spun around and were pushed 100 yards down the road.
"If I had been in a different car, I don't think I'd be here."
Although Ms Stone admits she was at fault for the incident, she has criticised Essex County Council's poor maintenance of the junction.
Ms Stone said: "I was approaching the crossroads from Witham Road, but the road markings telling motorists to give way are all but gone.
"The sign telling people to give way is almost totally obscured by the bushes too, and there are two confusing 40mph and national speed limit signs on the other side of the road.
"Are these just not encouraging you to speed up? I know someone complained to the council a few weeks ago and highlighted the dangers here warning there would be a serious accident.
"I had my daughter in the car, along with a friend and her two-year-old son. Thankfully I took the brunt of it, but was lucky to escape with serious bruising, glass in my arm, cuts and whiplash.
"The others had bruising to their necks and stiffness."
Ms Stone, who says she has been unable to work as a freelance journalist without her car, added: "I'm disgusted at the council and will be pursuing the matter with them."
Ms Stone claims local residents who came out of their homes after hearing the crash told her there is an accident at the junction at least once a month. She also said the police officer at the scene encouraged her to pursue Essex County Council.
An Essex Highways spokesman said: "The county council regrets that an accident took place at this crossroads and would always urge caution when proceeding at junctions like this.
"While we would not accept that markings are necessarily a critical feature, the cabinet member has arranged for the markings to be refreshed as soon as possible."
