The 75-year-old lost control of his Honda vehicle when he was taken ill at the wheel. Then the car:
- Ran off the road on a bend.
- Knocked over a telegraph pole.
- Plunged down an embankment.
- Landed yards from the Girvan to Stranraer railway line, taking telephone wires onto the track.
But luckily, because of the public holiday, no trains were running at the time.
And the elderly driver - Calvin Cole, from Troon - was able to walk to a waiting ambulance with just minor facial injuries to show for his ordeal.
Amateur photographer Peter Walker, who took these pictures exclusively for the Carrick Gazette, passed the spot moments after the crash.
He said on Tuesday: "I was driving into Girvan at about 3pm when it happened, having just left my home near Pinmore.
"The old gentleman was incredibly lucky. The roads were icy and temperatures were still below freezing but I gather that the driver was taken ill - a combination of being out in the cold and then being in the warmth of the car.
"When I got down to the Honda he was climbing out of it and just had a bit of blood on his face. I think he had broken his nose."
Mr Walker added: "Mr Cole rang me this morning to let me know how he was getting on. Although he's still not sure how the accident happened, he seems to be making a good recovery."
Carrick's senior police officer, Inspector Andy Clapperton, said this week: "The incident was on the embankment on the Pinmore to Colmonell Road. The vehicle pushed over a telegraph pole causing wires to land on the railway line. No trains were running.
"The area was made safe by BT. Mr Cole was conveyed to Ayr Hospital with minor injuries.
"Otherwise, there was nothing suspicious, i.e. no suggestion of drink-driving or any other offences."