Call for action after stray firework hits woman’s car while driving

A South Bucks woman whose car was struck alarmingly by a stray firework has called for policy change on their private sale.

On an October evening, Saim Quraishi was driving home through Upton Lea ward in Slough, near the doctor’s surgery on Wexham Road.

“All of a sudden, I hear this big bang of something falling on the car – something heavy,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, what’s happened?’

“There were cars behind me – I pressed my hazard [lights], swerved my car and parked up. I was in a panic mode. My heart was racing.”

After taking a couple of seconds to calm down, Saim got out of the car and looked for the source of the bang. She found it – a firework.

Fireworks which are poorly aimed, unstably set up or placed on uneven ground can shoot off to the side rather than straight up.

“It was one of those big bricky kinds of fireworks, really heavy,” she said. The impact of that falling from the sky could kill a child or an elderly person.”

Fortunately, Saim was uninjured and the car was not damaged.

“Luckily the car was going slowly,” she said. “If it was on the motorway, imagine that crash it could have caused.”

Nonetheless Saim was left ‘shaken up’.

She said: “It's not like I hate fireworks. In the olden days, they used to be so nice. But they have got worse and worse. Fireworks are really scary now.

“These commercial fireworks should be banned [for private sale]. They should only be allowed for the professional displays.

“If they go through your curtains or your window, they can catch fire. People can lose their lives.”

A spokesperson for The Firework Campaign UK said they have heard tales of fireworks landing in drives and gardens causing all sorts of damage.

“There are regulations and advice that is rarely abided by – for instance, the distance from highways,” they said.

“We have always thought that, contrary to Government opinion, people do not always use fireworks responsibly. Sales to the public should be restricted.”

Saim did not contact the police, having little faith much could be done.

Indeed, the firework was launched within legal parameters – before 11pm from a private garden. Fireworks can be set off any day of the year and bought by anyone over 18.

A spokesperson from the Department for Business and Trade, “We are sorry to hear of this shocking incident, and we expect people to act responsibly and consider the safety of others when using fireworks

“Local councils and police have powers to protect the public and pets from fireworks misuse, and we regularly launch safety campaigns to help people use them considerably.”

Buckinghamshire Council said it is not able to comment because it is unaware of this incident. Thames Valley Police said the same.

MP for Beaconsfield, Joy Morrissey, said incidents like this ‘are completely unacceptable.’

“The impact of fireworks on people, pets, and livestock is something I care deeply about, and I understand why it matters so much to our communities,” she said.

“I’m encouraged that the Government is reviewing how fireworks are used and the effects they have on communities, and I will continue to monitor this issue closely.”