From the very moment motor vehicles hit the roads of Great Britain the media seem to be hugely cautious of this new invention. The slightest accident would be duly reported and hugely illustrated where possible. Many of its readers were highly sceptical of these dangerous machines on the mainly untreated roads. Although in many ways this accident probably was in fact quite serious as they are reporting the little girl was bleeding from the ear and was probably suffering from severe concussion at the very least. Within 10 to 20 years the motor car would be a familiar scene on the roads and tracks across the country as the days of the horse drawn carriage and other vehicles was eventually coming to an end.
Here The Illustrated Police News – Saturday 21 November 1896 reports the terrible scene near Three Bridges in Surrey.
A child and seriously injured by a motor car
At Crawley an unfortunate accident occurred on Saturday, through as far as could be learnt it was not the fault of the driver. The police were keeping the course clear, when a little girl ran out from the crowd that lined the street, and was knocked down and hurt by one of the cars.
This little girl is named Dyer. Her father keeps or by a house near Three Bridges railway station. He lost both legs and one ear on the Brighton railway some years ago. The girl has a fractured skull, and has been bleeding from the ears ever since the accident. The medical men take a serious view of her case. After this accident of horse attached to attract containing a lady following the procession bolted at the flapping of banners, but was stopped just at the point of collision.
