South-west residents share stories of heartache from road trauma

The 51-year-old was riding his motorcycle home in July 2011 when he was hit by a car at a Warrnambool roundabout.

The accident - which happened "as quickly as you can sneeze" - according to Mr Knowles, changed his life forever.

Mr Knowles was thrown from his bike several metres, where he lay on the ground trying to stay still until help arrived.

He said he didn't feel pain at the start but couldn't understand why his left ankle was "basically hanging vertically down".

Mr Knowles would later be told he had a fully rotated broken ankle, a cracked vertebrae in his neck, a dislocated hip and broken tibia and fibula in his left leg.

His partner Kerryn Richards received a call to advise her Mr Knowles had come off his motorbike and may have a broken leg.

She was shocked to see the extent of his injuries when she arrived at South West Healthcare's Warrnambool Base Hospital.

Mr Knowles had a stabilisation frame put on his leg and was sent to Melbourne for surgery the next day.

He underwent the first of what would be many surgeries and spent six weeks in Melbourne.

Mr Knowles had limited mobility because he had an external fixation on his leg to help repair the breaks.

"I was using a wheelchair and a walking frame," Mr Knowles said.

He was then transferred to St John of God Hospital in Warrnambool, where he spent three months trying to learn how to get around and do every day things with the external fixation on his leg.

Unfortunately, the external fixation had to be removed before the bones had properly healed because Mr Knowles developed a skin infection.

"That meant the broken bones set themselves and they set wrong," Mr Knowles said.

He had to have another fixation inserted and later had to undergo hip surgery.

Mr Knowles, who shared his story as part of Rural Road Safety Month, said there were many years after the accident when his mobility was extremely limited and he was unable to work.

He said he experienced some dark days due to his injuries.

"I had been a labourer since I was 16 or 17 so I didn't really have any formal qualifications and I found it really hard to get a job," Mr Knowles said.

"I had two short-term contracts in an 11, 12 year period."

Mr Knowles started a job as a Warrnambool school crossing supervisor recently.

"It's good for my self-esteem and the council has been good," he said.

"They took into account that I have to use the crutch."

Mr Knowles is also back riding.

This was something he didn't know if he would be able to do, but he conquered his fear and now rides a trike motorcycle.

Mr Knowles said his advice to victims of road trauma was to keep a positive outlook.

"I made the choice when I was in hospital that I could give up and I would end up in a padded cell, or I could get on with life. So I'm getting on with life."

Mr Knowles regularly speaks about his accident to raise awareness about road trauma for Amber Community.

He is also a strong advocate for imploring motorcyclists to ensure they wear full protective gear and their helmet at all times.

"The accident happened as quick as you can sneeze and now - this far down the track - I'm still suffering from it," Mr Knowles said.

He implored motorists to take care on the roads.

Mr Knowles said he would be forever grateful to the people who had helped him at the accident and in the years after.

Cobden's Paul Angus and his children Harrison, 10, and Lillian, 8, still suffer flashbacks from the incident they were involved in on May 12 this year.

Mr Angus was heading to Cobden from Camperdown on May 12 when he witnessed a car veering over to his side of the road.

"The young male driver pulled out onto our side of the road," he said.

"I remember so clearly the moments before the crash, my only concern was the kids and making sure they didn't take the full force of impact."

Mr Angus broke both his knees, shattered an ankle and had to undergo reconstructive surgery on his right hand.

He is still unable to work.

Harrison had fluid on his colon and severe bruising from the seatbelt, while Lillian injured her pancreas and small intestine.

Mr Angus told The Standard this week he and his children were still reeling after the crash.

"The kids are still undergoing more tests," Mr Angus said.

"Lillian's internal injuries are still causing issues and Harry has pain radiating down his legs."

Mr Angus said the trio were experiencing flashbacks and nightmares.

"It's still really traumatic and I haven't driven since the accident," he said.

"We no longer drive the road the accident happened on, it's just too much to handle."

Mr Angus said despite the lingering scars, he knew the three were lucky to be alive.

"Someone was definitely watching over us," he said.

"It could have been so much worse and we're all forever grateful it wasn't. It makes you appreciate every moment."

Mr Angus implored motorists to take care on the roads.

"I'd just suggest people concentrate, don't drive a weapon at 100kms an hour and be distracted by anything.

"Concentrate - nothing is important enough to rush for."

Josh Hose, who grew up in Camperdown, also knows how a split second can change your life.

The 36-year-old was involved in a car crash on Australia Day in Port Campbell when he was 18.

It happened a couple kilometres from Port Campbell coming the back way from Cobden.

"The accident took place where my friend was driving," Mr Hose said.

"The car lost control.

"The car rolled down an embankment where the roof came down heavy on my side.

"From here, the emergency services took me to Warrnambool."

Mr Hose was transported to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne with head, chest and spinal injuries.

He has been in a wheelchair ever since.

Mr Hose is well-known for his achievements in wheelchair rugby.

He has represented Australia in the Paralympics and still plays on a casual basis.

Mr Hose said it was important people were aware accidents happen and there may be permanent consequences.

"What I've learnt is, we can't necessarily control life events - stubbing a toe, losing a job or in my case having a spinal-cord injury," he said.

"But we do have a choice of how we approach those situations."

Their comments come as police issued an urgent safety warning for the month of September.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said there were 28 road deaths in September last year, the highest number of deaths recorded in the month for 16 years.

"Now is not the time to be complacent. The number of lives being lost on our roads this year should absolutely be cause for concern for everyone," Weir said.

"It's almost as if it's all care, no responsibility - people get out and go crazy, but you can't. We've seen in the last few years that uptick in September is really problematic."

The past 12 months has been devastating for many south-west families, with a number of deaths on the region's roads.

In January, the community mourned the loss of Panmure's Reg Dumesny.

He was killed in an accident near Timboon.

In February four people were killed in a horror crash at Bochara near Hamilton and in the same month a cyclist was killed at Illowa.

In March a truck rollover claimed the life of a Warrnambool man at Garvoc.

In the 12 month period to September this year, police also said they were frustrated by the number of motorists who were driving impaired.

In late 2022, police said they were catching - on average - two impaired drivers every day over the previous month.

Warrnambool Senior Sergeant Matt Wheeler said at the time the figures were alarming.

"We continue to have enormous concerns about young drivers being impaired and driving at excessive speeds, putting themselves and the rest of the community at risk," he said.

The families of two teenagers killed in a Winslow in 2021 also gave heartbreaking victim impact statements in court.

Glenn Heazlewood, who was in a horror car accident 30 years ago, also spoke out about the trauma he experienced.

He said there was a very different attitude to drink driving back then.

"Back then the culture was 'if you drink and drive you're a bloody idiot but if you make it home you're a f****** legend'," Mr Heazlewood told The Standard.

He didn't make it home that night.

Instead, he missed the Hoodoo Gurus concert he planned to go to and woke up in a Melbourne hospital after 28 days in a coma.

Mr Heazlewood said if he could help just one person from making a fatal mistake behind the wheel of a car, he'd be happy.

"My message is don't give others the power over your life," he said.

"And look after your own."

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