Worried someone travelling to me has been in an accident

[Schoolchoicesucks]

My elderly parents were driving to visit me today. They left home at 9 and it's a max 4 hour journey and they haven't arrived. Can't find any reports of serious accidents on highways agency website. Both of their phones seem to be switched off as going straight to automated can't take your call right now.
The journey's 120 miles so not sure where to start ringing around hospitals. Any ideas for who else I could call to find out of they might have been in an accident?

I’m glad your parents are ok op. Perhaps they need a charger in the car so they don’t worry about battery usage? Are their phones set up hands free and do they know how to use this when driving?

Something like that happened with my dad and uncle in...I want to say the early 80s, they'd gone to a football match and on the way back they hit some bad fog somewhere, so went into a pub to wait it out. Mum and Grandad hadn't known this because the weather wasn't as bad where they were, this was years before any of them had mobile phones, and my dad and uncle hadn't thought to see if they could use a phone at the pub to try and call them and explain. I'm not sure how late they ended up being, but the way my uncle told the story years later, both Mum and Grandad had faces like thunder when they got back, and for the rest of that night there were two distinct conversational circles, neither talking to the other!

eh?

They’re not being treated like children, they’re being helped to understand something.

Amazing that you know more about where the OPs parents and she lives than she does.

@Schoolchoicesucks
Pleased to hear they’re ok. What a worry!
Apologies for my rants to other posters, I’m obviously getting too old and intolerant for this shit 😂

My parents used to spent most of the day driving from Manchester to Kent, avoiding some motorway driving and going on a scenic route with a stop for a pub lunch. I'd get regular texts from my mum on her phone though.

It takes me 4-5 hours of driving depending on traffic. I'd have a stop half way.

People and phones!

Moments after by son was born, I was sitting on the bedroom floor, with him still attached and I had an overwhelming feeling that I wanted to talk to my mum and share the moment with her. My home bitten had been so,overwhelmingly wonderful and positively emotional.

It was my due date so they knew his arrival was imminent. They had both switched their phones off overnight (but kept them by the bedside) and there was a fault in their landline. So after a few tries I (tearfully) gave up. Mid morning, several hours later they finally called.

Totally baffling.

Glad your patents arrived safe and sound.

not really. My mum was surprised when i said "yeah, but if you're out and about and i need to contact you, i can'T and then I'll be stuck without your help" and after about 10 times, and occasions where I'd needed her input but couldn't get her, she understood why i preferred it if she had her phone on.

Then there was the time she slipped on a friend's front step (wet leaves) after ringing the bell and realising friend wasn't in. She broke her leg, and in her panic couldn't remember her PIN to call for help. So was left in the cold, on the ground, with a broken leg for well over an hour.

I also reminded her of the time i was at the Monsters of Rock, and due to drive to stay overnight at hers - 2 people died in the crush at the barrier, 1988, and i got home at gone 2am to find my parents sitting up waiting either for me or the police. So yeah - "treating them like children" isn't exactly the point.

If they behave like kids, not getting in direct voice contact when they are late, it seems appropriate.