Local girl narrowly avoided accident (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
near miss
'narrowly avoided accident' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'local girl' is the wordplay.
'local' becomes 'near' (I've seen this in another clue).
'girl' becomes 'miss' (term of address for an unmarried woman).
'near'+'miss'='NEAR MISS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for near miss that I've seen before include "Close thing" , "Close shave" , "not a success" , "Wide of the target in seminars" , "Almost successful shot" .)