Aussie dad suffers horrific injuries in e-bike collision with 'reckless driver'
The e-bike rider was hit by a car at a Melbourne intersection, shattering his leg in to several pieces.
A tragic accident while travelling home from work has left a doting dad unable to walk after he was hit by a "reckless" driver his family claims ran a red light.
Jason was just minutes from home in Camberwell, Melbourne on April 17 when, without warning, he was thrown from his e-bike and knocked unconscious by a car at a busy intersection. The impact "shattered his right leg in multiple places" leaving him in and out of intensive care.
The dad of two was returning home after a long day to greet his wife Rose and two young children who are now "very stressed" by the situation they find themselves in, his sister-in-law Jessica told Yahoo News Australia.
"The medical team is fighting tirelessly to save his leg, but the path to recovery remains daunting," she explained, adding his injuries could mean "he may never walk properly again". A dramatic X-ray shows the bones in his leg broken into several pieces.
"He has a compound fracture on his leg, and has gashes and chunks removed from his skin. The doctor said for them to operate on there, they need the skin to be healing so they can possibly skin graft it," she said.
Dad likely to suffer long-term injuries
Even if doctors can repair the numerous breaks throughout his leg, Jessica said it's likely he'll suffer from long-term injuries, including a limp.
Jason, who works as a maintenance electrician, is now unable to work and support his young family. It's unknown at this stage how long he will need to stay in hospital.
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"He has good days and bad days. We try to make sure we visit every day to keep his spirits high," Jessica said. "But he's on a lot of medications, so half of the time, he's not his usual self.
"He spends a lot of time with the girls, so he's suffering with that as well [because he can't see them]"
Jessica is hoping to raise money for Rose and the children and has set up a GoFundMe with a goal of $30,000.
E-bike incidents on the rise in Australia
The number of incidents evolving e-bike, e-scooters and e-skateboards has increased in recent times. In January, it was reported Victoria has seen a 454 per cent increase in injuries related to e-bikes since 2019, and a 64 per cent increase in the past year, the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit says.
In December, the Australian Medical Association called for stricter rules after a study by the Royal Melbourne Hospital showed 247 riders and nine pedestrians were treated for injuries in 2023 associated with e-scooters alone.
Meanwhile, Queensland's hospitals also report a sharp increase in injuries sustained by children on electric modes of transport. Last year the ABC reported 88 children presented with head, neck and limb injuries in the state linked to e-bikes or e-scooters, way above the 14 children recorded in 2019.
Thankfully, Jason was wearing a suitable helmet at the time of the accident, his family confirmed — which is required by law. He also wears a hi-vis vest and rides with a 'Menulog' bag for visibility, Jessica said.
Victorian bicycle road rules state e-bikes are allowed on roads however they must adhere to the same road rules as drivers. Similar rules apply across other states and territories
It's understood a police investigation is underway with Jason's family working with authorities. Yahoo News Australia has contacted Victoria Police.
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