Crash survivor Yudhi Mohan-Ram opens up about harrowing crash in the wake of state’s shocking road toll

With one of the worst starts to the state’s road toll police have seen, a crash survivor has opened up about his harrowing journey in the hopes he can prevent future suffering.

It’s a crash, not an accident. An accident is unavoidable.

That’s the message authorities want drivers to take home as the state’s road toll climbs to 26 victims in just two months.

The South-East region alone has recorded its third fatal crash in just three weeks.

Young victims Macey Inglis and Archer Flynn were both just 18 when they tragically lost their lives earlier this year.

Macey Inglis has been remembered in a loving tribute after the 20-year-old tragically died in a fatal crash in Langkoop. Picture: Supplied Facebook

18-year-old Naracoorte teen Archer Flynn died in a horror fatal crash at Keppoch. Picture: Supplied Facebook

MFS firefighter Josh Byerlee, who spoke at a community safety forum in the Limestone Coast on Monday, said it was a shocking start to 2023 after the state recorded its lowest ever road toll in 2022.

“We thought, maybe we’re heading in the right direction and people are getting that road safety message,” he said.

“But the start of this year really illustrates that we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Crash survivor Yudhi Mohan-Ram was left clinging to life for 46 days after a horror crash spoke of his harrowing journey at the forum, candidly telling the audience he contemplated taking his own life.

Yudhi Mohan-Ram and MFS Firefighter Josh Byerlee speak to the South-East community about road safety in the wake of the shocking road toll. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mr Moham-Ram’s life changed after a P-plater ran a stop sign and T-boned him while he was riding his motorcycle.

The crash threw him 25 metres from his bike and occurred just five minutes from home — with Mr Moham-Ram’s wife and daughter coming home to see paramedics working on him.

He sustained a crushed right wrist, broken collarbone, two broken legs, breaks to all his left ribs, internal organ damage and a damaged voice box.

After arriving at hospital Mr Moham-Ram fell into a coma and was given a 10 per cent chance of survival.

Yudhi Mohan-Ram holding a steel rod that was inserted into his leg. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“When I was in a coma, I could still hear and feel everything. ” he said.

“One of the worst parts of that experience is actually knowing ‘I’m dying and there’s nothing I can do to save myself’.”

Now living with PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks, among many other mental and physical scars, Mr Moham-Ram spoke about how he fell into a well of depression.

Mr Moham-Ram said to this day he will still wake at 2am as his body screams at him “you’re going into a coma you need to wake up”.

“In those microseconds, you’re trying to work out whether you’re still alive or not,” he said.

“Ten years ago I would have taken my own life because I was tired of dealing with all the stress and trauma as a result of the crash.

“I’ll tell you now that’s an extremely dark place to be in.”

Josh Younger, 17, who came to the event with his mum Rachael and who will get his P-plates on Friday said the presentation highlighted the risks of the road.

“It is real, it’s not just something you see on the news,” he said.

“I actually know someone who was in a serious crash. He's paralysed from the waist down now.

“The last time I saw him it was at a party and he was dancing and then the next time I saw him it was at a party, but he was in a wheelchair and he was getting pushed around.”