Crash victim warns of risks
THE dirt road shortcut Zaine Hayter took on his way to see his girlfriend was the last he ever took as a driver.
It was an August afternoon in 2010 when Zaine, aged 17 at the time, opted to drive down one of Kingaroy’s back roads en route to his girlfriend.
But his life turned upside down when he lost traction on the gravel while navigating a corner.
Zaine’s car crashed and rolled for about a hundred metres, throwing the teen from the vehicle.
He landed on his head and was found nearly 14 metres from the car.
Zaine suffered significant injuries, including to his brain, and may not have lived if his cousin Jessie, who had been following behind in his own car, had not wrapped Zaine’s head in a jacket.
Zaine had just begun a new chapter of his life, having just finished high school and landing a job working for his uncle when his car, and the future he had carved out, were crushed.
He was flown to Kingaroy Hospital then transferred to Brisbane where he remained in hospital for two months. He was eventually transferred to Townsville Hospital, where he stayed for two years.
Now 25 years old, in a wheelchair and unable to communicate verbally, Zaine is pushing young people to pay attention on the roads and be safe, and understand how quickly situations can change.
Nine young people died in North Queensland crashes last year and a further 184 were hospitalised, according to Department of Transport and Main Roads figures.
To date 31 people have died on far north and North Queensland roads, seven more than the same period last year.
Zaine is sharing his story as part of Road Safety Week.
Alongside sporting stars Matt Bowen, Antonio Winterstein and JCU Townsville Fire players, Zaine will drive home the messages of Road Safety Week to Townsville students at an event at Cowboys House today.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said far north and North Queensland communities continued to be over-represented in road crash statistics despite the number of deaths being at a five-year low.
“We want young people to put safety first,” he said.