Seventeen injured in Poznan car show crash
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
01.07.2013 08:38
Seventeen people were injured at a luxury car show on Sunday when a vehicle veered into spectators in Poznan, western Poland.
The Koenigsegg car which crashed on Sunday during the Gran Turismo Polonia event. Photo: Marek Zakrzewski/PAP
Five people stayed in hospital overnight, including two children with serious injuries.
As many as 175 luxury cars were taking part in the so-called Gran Turismo Polonia event, which was being held in Poznan for the ninth time.
At about 4 pm on Sunday, a Norwegian man driving a Koenigsegg bounced off a kerb and veered into a group of spectators.
“He is an experienced driver with years of experience driving sports cars,” claimed event co-organiser Peter Ternstroem, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The driver was sober.
According to the police, the organiser of the event met all the safety criteria necessary for staging such a car show.
Participants themselves need only pay the registration fee to join in if they have an appropriate car at their disposal.
Nevertheless, organisers say the drivers underwent a short training session before the event.
It is the first accident in the nine-year history of the event in Poznan. Doctors have stated that those with the most serious injuries are not in a life-threatening situation. (nh)