Traumatic experiences can change people in unexpected and often drastic ways and road crashes involving cyclists are no exception.
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Ballarat man Luke Taylor was thrown from his bicycle last year in a tragic accident that left him in a life-threatening condition with in juries he is still recovering from.
He was riding his bike near intersection of Cuthberts and Whites Roads in Cardigan when he was hit by a ute and thrown up to 70 meters from the point of impact.
He endured 4 hours of surgery after being flown to hospital in Melbourne and to this day has not fully recovered from the severe injuries he sustained.
Mr Taylor said his recovery from the crash has been a long, hard road that still has no end in sight.
“My life has changed forever,” he said.
“I am still in a wheelchair and I can’t play with my son; I require assistance from others for basic daily activities and I regularly undergo surgery as a result of the accident and the driver’s actions.”
On January 18, the 28-year-old driver, who caused Mr Taylor’s horrific life-long injuries was convicted and fined $2000 and banned from driving for six months.
Joel Alexander Paizis pleaded guilty at the Ballarat Magistrates Court to one charge of driving in a manner dangerous causing serious injury.
Mr Taylor said he felt the punishment handed down to Paizis was inadequate and does not reflect the pain and suffering inflicted upon him since the crash.
“I am disappointed with the sentence handed down to the driver of the vehicle that hit me,” Mr Taylor said.
“I feel that the criminal justice system, in some ways, has let me down.
“I am sentenced to a life of pain and suffering and the driver receives a $2000 fine and the inconvenience of a short loss of licence.”
Mr Taylor said he felt he was not kept adequately informed of the progress of the court case against Paizis and wasn’t made aware when the sentence was due to be handed down.
He is calling for more recognition of the plight of victims in the judicial process
“The criminal justice system has kept me in the dark most of the way through the criminal law process,” he said.
“It’s time that the rights of victims be prioritized in our courts”.
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