Richard Hammond Marks 20 Years Since Near-Fatal Top Gear Crash

Richard Hammond recently marked the 20th anniversary of a severe car crash that occurred while filming for the television show Top Gear. In a social media post, the presenter expressed his gratitude to the emergency services and medical professionals who saved his life following the incident in 2006.

The accident happened at York's Elvington airfield when a tire blew on the jet-powered dragster Hammond was driving at speeds exceeding 300 mph. The vehicle spun out of control, flipping upside down and resulting in serious head injuries for Hammond, who was placed in a coma for several weeks. He has no memory of the crash itself but recalled a sense of calm in the moments before, believing he was about to die.

"Twenty years ago today I came to an abrupt stop upside down in a Yorkshire field, convinced I was about to die," Hammond wrote in his post, sharing images from the event. He described how a front tire had blown, and despite his efforts to steer away from disaster, the outcome seemed inevitable. He added, "Honestly, the only way I can convey how those few, frantic, last moments felt is that it simply occurred to me that the next thing on my To Do list was to die."

Upon waking from his coma, Hammond had only a two-minute memory span. He attributed his survival and recovery to the efforts of the many people involved in his rescue and subsequent treatment. He specifically thanked those who treated him on and off the scene, stating, "I am only here today to note this anniversary and write these words because of the work of the many people involved in rescuing me from the shattered car, flying me to hospital and treating me there."

Hammond also reflected on the survivor's guilt he experienced after the accident, questioning if his actions had put his daughters at risk. He stated that investigations into the crash data assured him that he had done everything possible and that the incident was an accident. He detailed that the crash damaged the frontal lobe of his brain due to the forces of deceleration after the car flipped.

He noted that the experience, which he described as a 'freeze' response rather than fight or flight, left him without a fear of dying.

Hammond shares two daughters, Izzy and Willow, with his ex-wife Mindy.