Doncaster, England: Carla Wood survives after metal bolt smashes through windscreen near

A routine drive home from yoga turned into a terrifying brush with death after a four-inch metal bolt smashed through a woman’s windscreen and embedded itself in her headrest just inches from where she had been sitting.

Carla Wood says a split-second decision to steer left may have saved her life after the rusted brass bolt came hurtling towards her car, shattering glass and narrowly missing her head on a road near Doncaster, England.

The 59-year-old was driving her Mini John Cooper Works Convertible home on June 24 when she spotted a cargo truck approaching from the opposite direction at speed.

Moments later, she noticed something flying towards her through the air.

“(The cargo truck) was coming toward me. He was going at great speed, about 70 mph, and the road itself is quite bumpy,” Ms Wood said.

“He had come around the bend, and I could see the vehicle was bouncing. Something made me slow down. I had the roof down on my car and I could see something hurtling through the air. I was kind of watching it in slow motion.”

The heavy metal bolt tore through the Mini’s windscreen before burying itself in the driver’s headrest, leaving a deep dent exactly where her head had been moments earlier, People reported.

Glass exploded throughout the cabin, leaving Ms Wood with cuts to her face and arms.

She believes an instinctive decision to move left prevented the bolt from striking her directly, a feeling she attributes to her late daughter Chloe, who died 16 years ago.

“Then something, which I do believe was my daughter Chloe, who passed away 16 years ago [at age 18], told me to go to the left,” she said.

“I definitely believe in another world, and we’re just vessels here.”

“I believe she was in the car pulling me to the left — I felt like a force,” she continued.

“The normal reaction would’ve been to go to the right. Next thing, the vehicle had gone past, and there was a loud noise and glass had shattered everywhere.”

Another driver stopped moments later and immediately realised just how close Ms Wood had come to being killed.

“This van stopped, and when I got out of the car, [the van driver] said, ‘Oh my goodness.’ He was looking at my headrest, and it was dented full of the rusty bolt,” she said.

“If it had hit my head, I think I would’ve died.”

The frightening incident has left the retired sales coordinator reflecting on how quickly an ordinary day can become life-changing.

“I’m so fortunate to be here. I thought I’d be okay when the time came, but (it made me realise) how precious my life is and I’ve got a lot of life in me,” she said.

“It makes you realize I’m not ready to go yet. It’s a wake-up call to live every day to its fullest.”