AN ENGINEER crashed into a vehicle which caused a backseat passenger to be admitted into a major trauma unit, a court heard.

Yuxi Chen, 34, of Buccleuch Street in Barrow, was driving his Citroen C1 along the A590 on Park Road at 2:20 pm on February 9 last year when he caused a road traffic collision with another vehicle that was pulling out of the Ormsgill junction.

The driver of the vehicle, a retired lady, said a collision was ‘inevitable’ as the defendant turned across the opposite side of the carriageway.

Prosecutor Peter Kelly said the woman had two passengers, a husband and his wife, in the car.

He said the woman ‘froze in her seat’ and only became aware of what was happening when ambulance staff were assisting everyone out of the vehicle.

The driver and two passengers were taken to Furness General Hospital as a result.

Mr Kelly said the driver suffered only minor injuries but the front and backseat passengers suffered more serious ones.

In her victim impact statement, the driver said she had only driven a couple of times since the collision as she had lost all confidence in her driving.

A CT scan revealed the front seat passenger, the husband, sustained four broken ribs. He was discharged from hospital the same day.

However his wife, who was sitting in the back of the vehicle, was admitted to the major trauma unit.

She was not discharged until February 13 after sustaining three common fractures to the spinal column, as well as a sternal fracture, Mr Kelly said.

At South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on April 3, Chen pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless / inconsiderate driving.

Michael Graham, representing the defendant, said his client apologised profusely for the accident in a police interview.

Mr Graham said: “He has made several inquiries since to check how the victims of the crash are doing.

“It was a mistake. It was a single lapse of concentration; he did not see the car coming ahead.

“He has had problems sleeping and has taken it very personally. He is an engineer and has a VISA to work in the country until 2026.

"He is mortified by the whole event and is currently receiving talking therapy at the NHS as a result.

Magistrates granted the defendant’s request to personally address the court.

Chen told magistrates: “I’m so sorry. It was an accident. She was just minding her own business.

"I cannot change what has happened, but I have learnt safety is not to be taken for granted.

“This has impacted me greatly and I have been receiving professional help.

"I hope you see that I am not a bad person.”

The court heard weather conditions were dry and clear.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with requirements that the defendant completes 40 hours of unpaid work.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £114 surcharge.