Women struck by car during night out 'thrown like a rag doll'

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT. Two women are lucky to be alive after being struck by a car on a popular Adelaide party strip, during what should have been a fun night out.

The two women had been crossing the road on Hindley Street, when they were struck by a car – the horrific moment of impact caught on camera.

A friend of the victims told 7 News the crash was so horrific she thought the girls were going to die.

Revellers crowded around their friends, fearing the worst.

“I thought they were dead to start with – that’s how bad it looked,”Cate Bishop said.

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“It was terrifying, is what it was.

“She looked a bit like a rag doll. She hit the windscreen and bounced back off and flew a few metres away from the car.”

One of the victims was 20-year-old old Emma Dowling, whose face was left fractured, swollen and bloodied.

She shared a photograph from her bed showing the extent of her injuries.

“She was unconscious for a good two minutes three minutes, then she finally woke up, luckily,” witness Sam Luck said.

On Saturday Ms Dowloing thanked those concerned, urging them to never take life for granted. Both she and her friend are expected to make a full recovery.

The 20-year-old driver is co-operating with police.

In the wake of the accident, locals say the popular party strip would be safer if it closed to traffic on Friday and Saturday nights.

“I’ve seen a few near misses so I think for the safety of all it would be better,” one said.

A young man agreed saying: “When you’re walking around and you’re half cut, you don’t really pay attention to cars that much.”