Trevor Clarke, 43, of Curdies Street, who was seriously injured in the crash, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court yesterday to careless driving.

He was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond with the condition he pay $300 to the court fund.

On May 16 last year Clarke drove a Commodore sedan to Park Forest Road to look for firewood but lost control and hit a tree, his car catching fire, after he was distracted by his sunglasses falling from the sun visor.

He walked two kilometres to get help at a farm house and was treated by ambulance officers before being flown to a Melbourne hospital.

Defence counsel Sean Hardy said his client ran the Cobden roadworthy testing business and had two employees. He said Clarke had held his licence for 25 years and was married with four children.

Mr Hardy said Clarke had suffered a fractured sternum and ribs and the uninsured car was a write-off.