Teen's racing dreams end after trainer's crash shatters his body
A teenager injured in a highway crash cannot walk properly. He fears he cannot become a pilot or race driver.
Dennis Daffy, 85, drove his Toyota into a Volkswagen. The crash was at a Princes Highway intersection near Camperdown on October 10, 2025.
Daffy then sped up and mounted the VW. A 15-year-old passenger suffered a fractured pelvis in three parts and a dislocated hip.
His sciatic nerve had 50 per cent damage. He also had a broken wrist and ankle injuries that needed multiple surgeries.
The teenager spent months in a wheelchair. He told the Warrnambool Magistrates Court his dream is now uncertain.
He wanted to drive a manual car, become a pilot, or race. He cannot lift or rotate his foot.
He struggles to walk. He takes six medications.
He experiences nerve pain from touch. Daffy pleaded guilty to careless driving.
The court banned him from driving for six months. The court also ordered him to pay $2500 to a charity.
- Dennis Daffy, 85
- Driver's age
- October 10, 2025
- Collision date
- Princes Highway near Camperdown
- Location
- 50 per cent
- Sciatic nerve damage
Why it mattersA single driving error has permanently altered a teenager's body and life prospects. A moment on the road can quickly erase a young person's future.
AustraliaRoad safety remains critical in regional Victoria, where intersection errors can have devastating lifelong consequences for young Australians.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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