Volvo V70 Estate write off.

At 5.20 pm. yesterday, (Tuesday) at the wheel of my lovely Volvo, travelling into Exeter, I had the misfortune to collide with a local Citroen being driven by an elderly lady, without due care and attention. Heading for me on her wrong side and with both vehicles travelling at about 30 mph my avoiding action included steering into the hedge to my left which canted the Volvo up on that side to about 30 deg.
Conscious  throughout, I was subjected to some instant traumatic noisy impact as the air bags deployed. The smoky mist of venting refrigerant from the air conditioning immediately began to fill the cab. All windows were closed. My reaction was to open the driver's door which proved difficult. It required my swivelling through 90 deg so that I could put my full force with both legs against the door after releasing the seat belt.
Both myself and the lady were wearing belts and the airbag deployed in the Citroen as well the Volvo.
Both vehicles sustained extensive damage due to the frontal impact. Mine lost a wheel plus a large sector of its offside suspension; I shall be seeking a replacement with a similar specification and less than the 150,000 mileage.
After being taken to the RD&E  hospital for a check over, my injury includes bruised  or cracked ribs and a sore neck.  Mobility has been seriously slowed up but recovery should occur in about a week or two. I was advised by the medics that adrenalin in my  blood would be subduing the pain and that pain would increase during the following weeks before subsiding. 

The waiting areas of our crowded emergency department are constantly busy here as they are in most places and the medics are the very best.

One  conversation overheard in the corridor: a man sat beside his wife, phoning  a friend about a dog incident during which his hand was bitten. Apologising for the dogs behaviour as was the other dog owner in responce. It would seem that one dog's ear was bitten off, because he said to the friend: "Be sure not to get the ear sewn on back to front".

Remember:  Wear a seat belt - Think about what to do in scenario before it happens. In the seconds before impact - take all avoiding action possible. Don't freeze up in panic. 

Be aware the roads are used by the elderly, the inexperienced, the intoxicated, the aggressive, even the suicidal.  In the wrong place at the wrong time you too may be faced with such a choice.  Even if you have driven many hundreds of thousands of miles - be safe and keep others safe.