Driving into a busy intersection 9.9 seconds after a traffic light turned yellow has had tragic consequences for a Queensland mother and the motorcycle rider she hit and severely injured, a court has been told.
University of Queensland staffer Inge Ellen Matt, 57, wept in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday as she was sentenced to 15 months' prison wholly suspended.
It came almost three years after she ran through a red light and slammed into a motorcycle rider at the intersection of Moggill Rd and the Western Freeway in Brisbane's inner-west.
The man suffered cuts to a number of internal organs as well as a fracture to his lower back.
The rider was rushed to hospital, operated on immediately and spent time in intensive care.
As a result of the crash the court was told Matt suffered post traumatic stress disorder and her teenage son, who was in the passenger seat at the time of the crash, was also affected.
Matt pleaded guilty to the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm in June 2016.
During sentencing on Tuesday, Judge William Everson said the crash had tragic consequences for both the rider, Matt and her son.
He said Matt had led a "blameless existence" before the crash.
Judge Everson said the period of less than 10 seconds that Matt operated her car dangerously was a "reminder to us all that we too could find ourselves in your situation".
Australian Associated Press
