How a driver's split-second decision left an Auckland teen within an inch of death

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

Auckland teenager Cameron was obeying the rules and doing the right thing when he was struck by a vehicle whose driver did the exact opposite.

The then 18-year-old had just been made a school prefect and was out celebrating with his mates.

He had made sure to get his car home before the 10pm curfew his restricted licence allowed him - and had got on his bike to rejoin his friends - when he was hit by a car that failed to stop at a stop sign.

Cameron, who was wearing a helmet and had full safety gear on his bike, was hit on Maskell St, St Heliers, and thrown onto the other side of the road - where he was then run over by a second vehicle.

Cameron suffered a serious traumatic brain injury. Photo / NZ Police

He suffered severe injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, that left him within an inch of his life.

"They said that Cameron had minutes to get to surgery or he will die,'' his mother, Yvette, said.

"They weren't going to let me see him. I literally begged them - because if my son was going to die, he had to know his mum loved him''.

Cameron and his family, in association with NZ Police, have shared his story almost a year on from the incident that changed everything for them on October 26, 2018.

Authorities hope it will urge people on the roads this Labour weekend to not only slow down but to stop when they have to.

"Stop means stop. It's a simple message, but an important one,'' police said.

Shocking images and video footage of what Cameron looked like immediately after the incident are shown on short clip released by police.

Cameron was hit by a car that failed to stop at a stop sign on Maskell st, Heliers, in Auckland last years. Image / Google

The first part of the video shows a healthy and smiling Cameron hugging his parents as they celebrate a first-place prize in a cycling competition. A gold medal hangs around his neck.

The next clip shows a completely different boy; his head wrapped in protective padding and his hands struggling to pull up the zip on his shirt.

Cameron has had a long recovery after the accident in October last year. Photo / NZ Police

An encouraging voice - his mum's - is heard in the background: "Cam, wonderful! Keep going, darling, keep going.''

Yvette, struggling to control her emotions at times, speaks about the need for drivers to do the right thing to avoid tragedies such as theirs.

"If [the driver had] taken that moment to stop, Cameron's life would be very different to what it is. So please, stop''.

Cameron himself speaks on the video; explaining how life has been like for him the past year.

"One moment in time changed my life forever. I could tell you how my body has changed so much. How I am so proud of myself because I can now catch myself tripping.

"I could tell you about the difficulty of putting my socks on, how my feet hurt, my back hurts, my head hurts, but most of all - my heart hurts.''

A 26-year-old man later appeared in the Auckland District Court in relation to the incident and was convicted for careless driving causing injury.

Cameron was hit by a car that failed to stop at a stop sign on Maskell st, Heliers, in Auckland last years. Image / Google

He was disqualified from driving for eight months and ordered to pay $1000 in reparations.

Five people were killed on New Zealand roads over the Labour weekend last year. A further 44 people were seriously injured in crashes that weekend.

Tāmaki Makaurau road policing manager Inspector Scott Webb said the message was simple - stop.

"A split-second decision to not completely stop and continue through a stop sign can have devastating consequences on so many lives,'' he said.

"The flow-on effects can be far-reaching and impact those at a crash scene as well as their family, friends and wider communities.

"Look both ways and make sure it's clear before carrying on''.