Critically injured pedestrian’s stark warning for fatigued drivers this Easter

Elizabeth Lind was left fighting for her life after being hit by a fatigued driver while out walking. Video / Auckland City District Police

An Auckland who nearly died after being hit by a fatigued driver while out walking her dogs is hoping her horrific near-death experience will help other drivers take care this long weekend.

Elizabeth Lind was left fighting for her life, while one of her two dogs, Monkey, was killed instantly, the other, Cocoa, was injured but somehow managed to survive the incident on Tamaki Drive in September 2017.

The horrific footage shows Lind walking her dogs on their leads on the footpath when a vehicle can be seen coming into the picture.

Lind has her head down and she barely gets to lift it when the vehicle is seen smashing into her.

The impact saw her veered onto the footpath, and threw her more than 20m into bushes.

She was left with a severe brain injury and “bones doctors described as being broken so badly they resembled rubble,” she told police in an interview.

The 65-year-old spent more than two weeks in a critical condition in hospital.

It took her more than three months to learn how to walk and talk again.

The vehicle involved after it came to a stop. The driver was discharged without conviction on a charge of careless driving causing injury. Photo / NZ Police

She’s now fronting a police campaign to show the traumatic consequences of driving while tired.

Her husband Mike told police his wife had broken all her limbs but it was the brain injury that concerned him the most.

“Her right leg, the orthopaedic surgeon described as being in rubble, it was in so many pieces … her left eye socket was shattered, the left side of her face was in pretty bad shape.”

Elizabeth said three years on, she is still recovering.

“And I’m still dealing with all of it actually.

“It strikes me every day and I know that I’m a different person as a result of it.”

She said it was pointless holding on to any anger, and was instead learning to deal with her new life and looking forward.

All she asked now was for others to not to drive while fatigued.

“If I’m tired I don’t drive and don’t want to drive … it’s really pointed it out to me, particularly that having got my licence back, there’s no way I’m going to drive if I’m tired.

“I know the damage that can be done.”

Mike also urged people not to drive while tired.

Elizabeth Lind and her two dogs and the point of impact with the vehicle on Tamaki Drive in September 2017. Photo / NZ Police

“If you’re drowsy, just don’t drive”.

The driver of the car was charged with careless driving causing injury. He was discharged without conviction and ordered to pay Lind reparation.

Inspector Trevor Beggs said for those heading away this Easter weekend, he asked them to make sure they took regular breaks and shared the driving to keep everyone safe.

“Driving tired can be just as dangerous as driving drunk, so it’s important you drive fresh and stay alert when you’re behind the wheel.”

In 2019, 17 people lost their lives on the road due to fatigued drivers, while 85 were seriously injured.

Beggs said if they spotted someone who could be driving fatigued, under the influence of drugs or alcohol or in a dangerous manner to ring *555 or 111 as soon as it was safe to do so.

“You could just save someone’s life.”