John Perry died three times, broke his back in four places, his neck, shoulders ripped apart, and had both legs crushed - all because someone overtook on a bridge at 130kmh.
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The head-on collision occurred in 2003 after a man attempted to overtake on Corunna River bridge at high speeds and in road-affecting weather conditions.
John recalled how he was crushed in the remnants of the van, while emergency services cut his boss from the wreckage first before turning to him.
"I've been shot at and everything else, none of it fazed me, but this accident was a bit out of character because I wasn't going to die because of that bloody idiot," he said, referring to his prior service in the defence force.
"He gets out of his car, we're trapped in a vehicle, petrol and oil everywhere, and he lit up a smoke," John recalled, sharing the horrific details of the crash with high school students at the RYDA program being run at Frogs Hollow this week.
For the past 17 years, John has attended the award-winning Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) road safety program where he has shared his detailed account from surviving a traumatic road accident.
Students from Bega High School, Bombala High School, Lumen Christi Catholic College and Eden Marine High School attended the program aimed to reduce the number of deaths and injuries that occur on roads by improving young drivers' awareness.
Eric Johnston of Bega Rotary, who helped organise the event partnered with Road Safety Education (RSE), said it was all about saving lives.
His own life had been rocked on numerous accounts by the tragic loss of a family member in a car accident, and had witnessed a car somersault and kill a driver after they tried overtaking.
"You don't forget," Eric said.
"That's why I'm keen to get it on and made available to young people driving on four wheels before they get out on the highway, it's as simple as that."
Kellie Pickup, 17, and Mackenzie Morse, 16, from Eden Marine High School said they had both gained a lot of knowledge from the course, from firsthand accounts to braking scenarios.
"The story we heard about the man in the car crash was really eye-opening, and getting a grasp on what can actually happen from bad decisions," Kellie said.
"And seeing how it can affect every part of your life," Mackenzie continued