October 23, 2025 • 15 mins
This week we’re talking about something confronting, and sadly, increasingly common - trauma on SA’s regional roads.
According to the RAA, nearly eight in ten lives lost on our roads so far this year have been on regional routes.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi, I'm Jackie Loom with iHeart Essay. Today we're talking
about something confronting and sadly increasingly common, trauma on South
Australia's regional roads. This year, there's been a sharp spike
in serious crashes and fatalities outside Metro Adelaide. According to
the RIA, nearly eight in ten lives lost on our
roads so far have been on our regional routes. Experts
(00:25):
say the factors include higher speeds, longer distances, fatigue, unsafe
roads and the harsh reality of slower emergency response times
in the bush. So today we're unpacking the data, the
stories and the human impact and asking why are so
many lives still being lost on country roads and what
can be done to stop it. To find out more,
I caught up with senior traffic engineer at the RAA,
(00:48):
Matt Vertuday's.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Sadly, crashes on regional roads have accounted for around two
thirds of lives lost every year, and that's even higher
so far this year. Regional roads have higher speed limits,
longer travel distance and less forgiving roadsides, so when a
mistake happens, the consequences are often very severe. We know
many of the crashes this year and the long term
(01:11):
trend involve single vehicles running off the road, often hitting
a tree or rolling over and losing controls. So and
this year that's been no different, with almost three quarters
of regional fatalities in these types of crashes. And we're
also seeing a trend in unsealed roads this year which
is concerning us. Since August there have been seven lives
(01:31):
lost on unsealed roads, which is higher than the annual
average for the fast five years.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So as far as infrastructure and roads not being sealed
for example, versus maybe bad behavior of driving, you know,
speeding and fatigue and being distracted with your phone and
all of that, do you have data on which way
it's kind of leaning.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Look, there's every element. So there's four key pillars to
a safe system, and that's the safe roads, the safe speeds,
the safe cars, and the safe drivers. So each of
those is very important. So continued investment in safer roads
is absolutely key. So improving the width of roads by
sealing shoulders and installing safety barriers and continuing to chip
(02:12):
away at the two billion dollar maintenance backlog at all critical.
And these are things that will continue to call for
but while this is important, we also need all drivers
to play their part by driving to the conditions and
staying alert. Road safety ultimately is a shared responsibility. We
should be driving to the conditions if there are safety
concerns on the road. That doesn't always mean the speed limit.
(02:32):
Sometimes we do need to drop off a few kilometers
to stay safe on the roads.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
What sort of patterns are there that differentiate regional road
trauma from metropolitan road trauma.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, difference this year is quite stark. So as we've
spoken about, the key crash types on regional roads are
single vehicles running off the road nearly three quarters in
the regions, whereas in the Metro area more than half
of the fatalities have been had estrians. So we are
seeing some really strong trends towards pedestrians in the Metro area,
(03:05):
which often even at a lower speed of fifty to
sixty kilometers. Now, the consequences of a crash with someone
without that same protection of a motor vehicle are significant.
So look, there is a very big difference in driving
regionally versus Metro. So obviously the regional road it's at
higher speed, and that the unforgiving road side which are
(03:26):
the key factors.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The Risky Road Survey that you guys do and as
obviously highlighted a lot of roads over the years that
need some real TLC. So what sort of what corridors
are the main areas for concern? Where should people be
really going, Okay, I'm driving through this patch and it's
not great. What should I be doing and really focusing on?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, So in our Risky Road Survey, which our last
one we released earlier this year, we had five roads
in the Flora Peninsula that were in the top ten
regional roads raised. So some of these were the main
corridors there's a main south road or Victor Harbor Road,
but also some of the other roads weaving throughout the region,
so other corridors, you know, the Southern Ports Highway in
(04:09):
the southeast, which has received some funding and is currently
underway with an upgrade, which is really welcome news to
the regular communities along there. But similar issues across the state.
One road maintenance. Absolutely we have a two billion dollar
backlog which currently is still growing. So we continue to
(04:29):
call on government to invest further inroad maintenance to start
to address this backlog which has safety implications and by
driving on safer roads, we can start to drive down
the number of lives lost on the road.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, that's absolutely the goal. When fatal crashes do occur, though,
particularly in a regional area, how does the RAA assess
whether it was infrastructure, the vehicle driver behavior that was
the factor behind it.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Whilst we're not on the scene investigating. That's the job
for the Major crash investigation branch of say police. We
do look at the stats about what type of vehicles
are involved, what type of crashes, when they're reported, and
where they are, and how many vehicles are involved. So
doing that we can not necessarily target individual crashes, but
(05:14):
look at what the trends are and try to educate
people about what's happening. So, you know, with collisions with trees,
for example, we've had nineteen lives lost on regional roads
this year. So taking things like regular rest breaks every
two hours or even less if you start to feel fatigue,
not driving more than nine or ten hours in a day,
to make sure we're alert, fully alert and aware of
(05:36):
the conditions. We know that the majority of lives lost
on regional roads are actually regional people that live fairly
close to the scene of the crash, so that element
of complacency can also start to take place, things like
an animal coming out in front of you, or some
potholes and some damage it wasn't there perhaps due to
some storms and some wet weather that we've had, So
(05:57):
it's really important that we're always alert conditions.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, and the factors are always changing. For example, we've
got harvest coming up for or already started for a
fair bit of the state actually, and that means more
road trains out on our regional road. So what advice
would you have for drivers sharing roads with these big
b doubles and especially you know over Christmas period when
everyone's out traveling around.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Large trucks and farm machinery will be out in much
greater numbers from now through to around Christmas, and they're
awfully often traveling quite slowly or crossing between paddocks from
one side of the road to the other. So we
really urge drivers to be patient around these vehicles, make
sure they're giving them space, and only overtake when it's
safe to do so. So we can't be crossing solid
or double solid lines to make these overtaking movements. We
(06:44):
need to wait until we can see that the coast
is clear ahead, make sure that the vehicle that you're
overtaking isn't actually about to turn right. We will hear
stories where a heavy vehicle driver might flick their right
indicator on to allow or to indicate that the coaster
ahead is completed to overtake, but incidents do occur where
(07:04):
the driver behind misinterprets that and the truck is actually
turning right. So really important that you can see that
the coast is clear before overtaking. In our grain regions
like the Mallee, the Mid North, and the Air Peninsula
area as well, especially, you see that significant upsurge in
heavy vehicle traffic through Harvest.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Well coming up after the break Idside, I heard Essie
welcome back. Before the break, we heard from the RIA
about the worrying trend that's seen nearly four out of
every five road debts this year happen outside the city.
So how are local communities, emergency services and road safety
(07:43):
advocates fighting to turn things around from long isolated stretches
of highway to the split second decisions that can change
lives forever. We'll also hear from someone who has to
live with that trauma every day meantime, our reporter for
the Air Peninsula, Brooks Saychelle, spoke to the chair of
the Port Lincoln Rotary Clubs Road Safety Committee, Peter Lynn,
about key times of the year the regency is significantly
(08:05):
more trauma.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Usually the issues that we have is in the public holidays,
the school holidays, and when there are a lot more
people traveling on the roads.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Yes, because we're rule, we're kind of a little bit
in the middle of nowhere. What can we do as
drivers to stay safe when we're traveling on like rule
or unsealed roads.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I don't really believe it matters whether it's it's unsealed,
or whether it's out doing the full driving, or whether
it's doing that the long distance. But going back to
see others in Adelaide, really what it's about to me
is just changing the attitude that it's using a road
it's being shared. You know, Google Maps might tell you
it's three hours to streaky, but that doesn't take an
account that are things you hear people say, like stuck
(08:46):
behind a truck or held up by roadworks or poor
weather conditions. So what to me it is that for
good safety, it is seeing that it's a journey. You're
not stuck behind a truck. The trucks they're on the
road using it. It's finding a safe and a good
time to pass. You're not held up by road works
out there to make the road better and safer for us.
(09:06):
So it's an attitude towards not racing through because you
said you're going to be there at three. You're just
having a nice attitude to driving that will give you
the breaks, and that you don't drive tired and you
don't drive home after that special party.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
How can we kind of shift those sort of attitudes
and promote them more well?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
As I just said, I think it's even in our language.
It's just being aware that it's not a road that's
just yours. It's a common fair way to be used
by all people, and to do that in a safe
and timely manner.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Do you think that roadside testing and police operations are
making an impact in reducing these behaviors.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I believe it's helping people question whether it's worth the risk,
and I think that's a good thing. For those who
want to say they can do it anyway, that's stopping that.
But really it's more to me, it's an attitude change that.
Having seen people out there, it's amazing even watch around
Lincoln the different behavior around about when a police vehicle
is there.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
It is actually amazing the difference, the difference.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
So I do think they make a good difference. And
again they're not there to be those big bad people.
Those who are picked up speeding are breaking the law. Yeah,
those who are doing things are actually doing something wrong.
So they really can't say, oh, you know why they're
out there only raising money. They're there the same lives.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
From a local perspective, then what small changes could we
make could make the biggest difference to safety on our
local roads.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Taking the breaks in the journeys that you're doing and
not arriving because you said they will be there at
that time. Just arrive when you're able to drive to
the conditions.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Our journalist for the Adelaide Hills and Murray Lands, Jenny Lenman,
had a chat with road safety advocate Eli Mern, whose
life was turned upside down after a crash back in
two thousand and four.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I was twenty four years old. I was a risk
taker on the road and I was showing off to
my girl at the time in the Hills on a
windy road. Thought I was better than I was. I
was trying to be a hero, and I took it
too fast, lost control and went head onto two solid
pine trees.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Right, and it did quite a lot of damage.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Right.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
I understand you sustained an acquired brain injury.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I did.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I hit my left hand side of my head on
the inside of the passage headress at speed and through
that I did sustain in a quiet brain injury. And I
spent initially a fortnight in ICU in natural and induced comas.
Then I was in high care for another suit weeks.
Then I went to Hampstead rehabit in the brain injury,
reheaving it and I was there for nine months.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
That would have been maybe grueling at times. Was it
really difficult?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It's like one big sort of blur. I don't have
reliable memories, but I remember having a realization at the time.
In what I called my first life before my carcroache,
I was always an athlete, always working hard, had a
million different jobs, and so I just really put my
competitive nature and my work ethic into working hard and
bettering myself.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
My rehibitation must have been a very sad time as well.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
It was more frustrating than sad, because for a lot
of the initial time I couldn't communicate properly. I couldn't speak,
I couldn't walk, So I was just sort of trapped
knowing that these things are going on and not being
able to communicate anything about it. Well, it really takes
quite a while for you to get your head right again,
and as.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Well as you know, taking risks on the road, we
will probably make mistakes from time to time, but it
also can be pretty dangerous just the nature of the
Adelaide Hills right.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Absolutely. I find it hard when I see people blame
the road conditions or speed limits or anything else other
than the driver drives to the conditions. I just wish
more people would do the absolute best they can to
not take risks and make mistakes in the first lays.
Maybe it's that important, nobody's in that much of a hurry.
(12:53):
The personally, other than the phone doesn't need you to
pick it up down, And life's bigger than what goes
on in your mind when you're on the road.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Tell us about the gat Home Safe Foundation. That's obviously
very important to you.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
It is very important. The Gatham Safe Foundation is a
wonderful organization. CEO is a gentleman called Darn Davis, who's
one of the most selfless, community minded, enthusiastic people have
met who's really driven to reduce the road toll. And
here he's got no desire to anything but keep people safe.
(13:25):
Dan does a lot of traveling to the ap Wielands
sharing the road taps message. We have a Gatame Safe
round every year in the Sucker. The South Australian Cricket
Association sometimes me sometimes other seekers go round to different
clubs and talk to them about my story being an
athlete and how they all need to look after the
mates on the road same as Eve would on the field.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
In spite of all this wonderful advocacy work that you're doing,
I'm sure you've saved a lot of lives, but it
must be really sad to still see so many deaths
and trauma incidents on our roads. When it comes to crashes.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I only looked up as the status for August this
morning because I knew it'd been terrible. I actually don't
endeavor to find out too many details about what's happened,
because I see every single crash could have been avoided
I'm not saying if I had been involved, but the
fact that the message isn't getting a cross to everybody
is somewhat a failure in society. So I see every
(14:19):
crash as a failure, and I'm part of that failure.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
I mean, don't be too hard on yourself though, that
this is what you're dedicating your life to. Now, you
must have really turned around a lot of people's perspectives
and potentially saved a lot of lives.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I can only hope it's really harp me to say,
because there's never any way of assessing it. Or as
they say, is if I am helping people to stay
alive on the road, if I am helping the culture
around road use and drive safety to head in the
right direction, then I'm going to continue to do so.
If I've helped one person make a better decision somewhere
O belone, well that's a success.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That's it for this week. Don't forget you can hear
iHeart Essay and the iHeart app or where however you
get your podcasts. I'm Jackie Limb. Join us again next
week for more of the stories you want to hear.
I Heart Essay, The Voice of South Australia
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I Heart essayed
Hi, I'm Jackie Loom with iHeart Essay. Today we're talking
about something confronting and sadly increasingly common, trauma on South
Australia's regional roads. This year, there's been a sharp spike
in serious crashes and fatalities outside Metro Adelaide. According to
the RIA, nearly eight in ten lives lost on our
roads so far have been on our regional routes. Experts
(00:25):
say the factors include higher speeds, longer distances, fatigue, unsafe
roads and the harsh reality of slower emergency response times
in the bush. So today we're unpacking the data, the
stories and the human impact and asking why are so
many lives still being lost on country roads and what
can be done to stop it. To find out more,
I caught up with senior traffic engineer at the RAA,
(00:48):
Matt Vertuday's.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Sadly, crashes on regional roads have accounted for around two
thirds of lives lost every year, and that's even higher
so far this year. Regional roads have higher speed limits,
longer travel distance and less forgiving roadsides, so when a
mistake happens, the consequences are often very severe. We know
many of the crashes this year and the long term
(01:11):
trend involve single vehicles running off the road, often hitting
a tree or rolling over and losing controls. So and
this year that's been no different, with almost three quarters
of regional fatalities in these types of crashes. And we're
also seeing a trend in unsealed roads this year which
is concerning us. Since August there have been seven lives
(01:31):
lost on unsealed roads, which is higher than the annual
average for the fast five years.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So as far as infrastructure and roads not being sealed
for example, versus maybe bad behavior of driving, you know,
speeding and fatigue and being distracted with your phone and
all of that, do you have data on which way
it's kind of leaning.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Look, there's every element. So there's four key pillars to
a safe system, and that's the safe roads, the safe speeds,
the safe cars, and the safe drivers. So each of
those is very important. So continued investment in safer roads
is absolutely key. So improving the width of roads by
sealing shoulders and installing safety barriers and continuing to chip
(02:12):
away at the two billion dollar maintenance backlog at all critical.
And these are things that will continue to call for
but while this is important, we also need all drivers
to play their part by driving to the conditions and
staying alert. Road safety ultimately is a shared responsibility. We
should be driving to the conditions if there are safety
concerns on the road. That doesn't always mean the speed limit.
(02:32):
Sometimes we do need to drop off a few kilometers
to stay safe on the roads.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
What sort of patterns are there that differentiate regional road
trauma from metropolitan road trauma.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, difference this year is quite stark. So as we've
spoken about, the key crash types on regional roads are
single vehicles running off the road nearly three quarters in
the regions, whereas in the Metro area more than half
of the fatalities have been had estrians. So we are
seeing some really strong trends towards pedestrians in the Metro area,
(03:05):
which often even at a lower speed of fifty to
sixty kilometers. Now, the consequences of a crash with someone
without that same protection of a motor vehicle are significant.
So look, there is a very big difference in driving
regionally versus Metro. So obviously the regional road it's at
higher speed, and that the unforgiving road side which are
(03:26):
the key factors.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
The Risky Road Survey that you guys do and as
obviously highlighted a lot of roads over the years that
need some real TLC. So what sort of what corridors
are the main areas for concern? Where should people be
really going, Okay, I'm driving through this patch and it's
not great. What should I be doing and really focusing on?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah, So in our Risky Road Survey, which our last
one we released earlier this year, we had five roads
in the Flora Peninsula that were in the top ten
regional roads raised. So some of these were the main
corridors there's a main south road or Victor Harbor Road,
but also some of the other roads weaving throughout the region,
so other corridors, you know, the Southern Ports Highway in
(04:09):
the southeast, which has received some funding and is currently
underway with an upgrade, which is really welcome news to
the regular communities along there. But similar issues across the state.
One road maintenance. Absolutely we have a two billion dollar
backlog which currently is still growing. So we continue to
(04:29):
call on government to invest further inroad maintenance to start
to address this backlog which has safety implications and by
driving on safer roads, we can start to drive down
the number of lives lost on the road.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Yeah, that's absolutely the goal. When fatal crashes do occur, though,
particularly in a regional area, how does the RAA assess
whether it was infrastructure, the vehicle driver behavior that was
the factor behind it.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Whilst we're not on the scene investigating. That's the job
for the Major crash investigation branch of say police. We
do look at the stats about what type of vehicles
are involved, what type of crashes, when they're reported, and
where they are, and how many vehicles are involved. So
doing that we can not necessarily target individual crashes, but
(05:14):
look at what the trends are and try to educate
people about what's happening. So, you know, with collisions with trees,
for example, we've had nineteen lives lost on regional roads
this year. So taking things like regular rest breaks every
two hours or even less if you start to feel fatigue,
not driving more than nine or ten hours in a day,
to make sure we're alert, fully alert and aware of
(05:36):
the conditions. We know that the majority of lives lost
on regional roads are actually regional people that live fairly
close to the scene of the crash, so that element
of complacency can also start to take place, things like
an animal coming out in front of you, or some
potholes and some damage it wasn't there perhaps due to
some storms and some wet weather that we've had, So
(05:57):
it's really important that we're always alert conditions.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, and the factors are always changing. For example, we've
got harvest coming up for or already started for a
fair bit of the state actually, and that means more
road trains out on our regional road. So what advice
would you have for drivers sharing roads with these big
b doubles and especially you know over Christmas period when
everyone's out traveling around.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Large trucks and farm machinery will be out in much
greater numbers from now through to around Christmas, and they're
awfully often traveling quite slowly or crossing between paddocks from
one side of the road to the other. So we
really urge drivers to be patient around these vehicles, make
sure they're giving them space, and only overtake when it's
safe to do so. So we can't be crossing solid
or double solid lines to make these overtaking movements. We
(06:44):
need to wait until we can see that the coast
is clear ahead, make sure that the vehicle that you're
overtaking isn't actually about to turn right. We will hear
stories where a heavy vehicle driver might flick their right
indicator on to allow or to indicate that the coaster
ahead is completed to overtake, but incidents do occur where
(07:04):
the driver behind misinterprets that and the truck is actually
turning right. So really important that you can see that
the coast is clear before overtaking. In our grain regions
like the Mallee, the Mid North, and the Air Peninsula
area as well, especially, you see that significant upsurge in
heavy vehicle traffic through Harvest.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Well coming up after the break Idside, I heard Essie
welcome back. Before the break, we heard from the RIA
about the worrying trend that's seen nearly four out of
every five road debts this year happen outside the city.
So how are local communities, emergency services and road safety
(07:43):
advocates fighting to turn things around from long isolated stretches
of highway to the split second decisions that can change
lives forever. We'll also hear from someone who has to
live with that trauma every day meantime, our reporter for
the Air Peninsula, Brooks Saychelle, spoke to the chair of
the Port Lincoln Rotary Clubs Road Safety Committee, Peter Lynn,
about key times of the year the regency is significantly
(08:05):
more trauma.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Usually the issues that we have is in the public holidays,
the school holidays, and when there are a lot more
people traveling on the roads.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Yes, because we're rule, we're kind of a little bit
in the middle of nowhere. What can we do as
drivers to stay safe when we're traveling on like rule
or unsealed roads.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I don't really believe it matters whether it's it's unsealed,
or whether it's out doing the full driving, or whether
it's doing that the long distance. But going back to
see others in Adelaide, really what it's about to me
is just changing the attitude that it's using a road
it's being shared. You know, Google Maps might tell you
it's three hours to streaky, but that doesn't take an
account that are things you hear people say, like stuck
(08:46):
behind a truck or held up by roadworks or poor
weather conditions. So what to me it is that for
good safety, it is seeing that it's a journey. You're
not stuck behind a truck. The trucks they're on the
road using it. It's finding a safe and a good
time to pass. You're not held up by road works
out there to make the road better and safer for us.
(09:06):
So it's an attitude towards not racing through because you
said you're going to be there at three. You're just
having a nice attitude to driving that will give you
the breaks, and that you don't drive tired and you
don't drive home after that special party.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
How can we kind of shift those sort of attitudes
and promote them more well?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
As I just said, I think it's even in our language.
It's just being aware that it's not a road that's
just yours. It's a common fair way to be used
by all people, and to do that in a safe
and timely manner.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Do you think that roadside testing and police operations are
making an impact in reducing these behaviors.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
I believe it's helping people question whether it's worth the risk,
and I think that's a good thing. For those who
want to say they can do it anyway, that's stopping that.
But really it's more to me, it's an attitude change that.
Having seen people out there, it's amazing even watch around
Lincoln the different behavior around about when a police vehicle
is there.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
It is actually amazing the difference, the difference.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
So I do think they make a good difference. And
again they're not there to be those big bad people.
Those who are picked up speeding are breaking the law. Yeah,
those who are doing things are actually doing something wrong.
So they really can't say, oh, you know why they're
out there only raising money. They're there the same lives.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
From a local perspective, then what small changes could we
make could make the biggest difference to safety on our
local roads.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Taking the breaks in the journeys that you're doing and
not arriving because you said they will be there at
that time. Just arrive when you're able to drive to
the conditions.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Our journalist for the Adelaide Hills and Murray Lands, Jenny Lenman,
had a chat with road safety advocate Eli Mern, whose
life was turned upside down after a crash back in
two thousand and four.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
I was twenty four years old. I was a risk
taker on the road and I was showing off to
my girl at the time in the Hills on a
windy road. Thought I was better than I was. I
was trying to be a hero, and I took it
too fast, lost control and went head onto two solid
pine trees.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
Right, and it did quite a lot of damage.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Right.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
I understand you sustained an acquired brain injury.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
I did.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I hit my left hand side of my head on
the inside of the passage headress at speed and through
that I did sustain in a quiet brain injury. And I
spent initially a fortnight in ICU in natural and induced comas.
Then I was in high care for another suit weeks.
Then I went to Hampstead rehabit in the brain injury,
reheaving it and I was there for nine months.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
That would have been maybe grueling at times. Was it
really difficult?
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It's like one big sort of blur. I don't have
reliable memories, but I remember having a realization at the time.
In what I called my first life before my carcroache,
I was always an athlete, always working hard, had a
million different jobs, and so I just really put my
competitive nature and my work ethic into working hard and
bettering myself.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
My rehibitation must have been a very sad time as well.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
It was more frustrating than sad, because for a lot
of the initial time I couldn't communicate properly. I couldn't speak,
I couldn't walk, So I was just sort of trapped
knowing that these things are going on and not being
able to communicate anything about it. Well, it really takes
quite a while for you to get your head right again,
and as.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Well as you know, taking risks on the road, we
will probably make mistakes from time to time, but it
also can be pretty dangerous just the nature of the
Adelaide Hills right.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Absolutely. I find it hard when I see people blame
the road conditions or speed limits or anything else other
than the driver drives to the conditions. I just wish
more people would do the absolute best they can to
not take risks and make mistakes in the first lays.
Maybe it's that important, nobody's in that much of a hurry.
(12:53):
The personally, other than the phone doesn't need you to
pick it up down, And life's bigger than what goes
on in your mind when you're on the road.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Tell us about the gat Home Safe Foundation. That's obviously
very important to you.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
It is very important. The Gatham Safe Foundation is a
wonderful organization. CEO is a gentleman called Darn Davis, who's
one of the most selfless, community minded, enthusiastic people have
met who's really driven to reduce the road toll. And
here he's got no desire to anything but keep people safe.
(13:25):
Dan does a lot of traveling to the ap Wielands
sharing the road taps message. We have a Gatame Safe
round every year in the Sucker. The South Australian Cricket
Association sometimes me sometimes other seekers go round to different
clubs and talk to them about my story being an
athlete and how they all need to look after the
mates on the road same as Eve would on the field.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
In spite of all this wonderful advocacy work that you're doing,
I'm sure you've saved a lot of lives, but it
must be really sad to still see so many deaths
and trauma incidents on our roads. When it comes to crashes.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
I only looked up as the status for August this
morning because I knew it'd been terrible. I actually don't
endeavor to find out too many details about what's happened,
because I see every single crash could have been avoided
I'm not saying if I had been involved, but the
fact that the message isn't getting a cross to everybody
is somewhat a failure in society. So I see every
(14:19):
crash as a failure, and I'm part of that failure.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
I mean, don't be too hard on yourself though, that
this is what you're dedicating your life to. Now, you
must have really turned around a lot of people's perspectives
and potentially saved a lot of lives.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
I can only hope it's really harp me to say,
because there's never any way of assessing it. Or as
they say, is if I am helping people to stay
alive on the road, if I am helping the culture
around road use and drive safety to head in the
right direction, then I'm going to continue to do so.
If I've helped one person make a better decision somewhere
O belone, well that's a success.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
That's it for this week. Don't forget you can hear
iHeart Essay and the iHeart app or where however you
get your podcasts. I'm Jackie Limb. Join us again next
week for more of the stories you want to hear.
I Heart Essay, The Voice of South Australia
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I Heart essayed
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.