Could this 23-year-old be Australia's worst driver ever?
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Content warning: This article mentions drug abuse.
We've all heard horror stories about terrible drivers. You know, the kind of people who think the rules of the road don't apply to them, or that red lights are optional.
And we thought we’d seen it all…until we came across a man who has accumulated so many driving offences that a court has decided he will never be allowed to drive again for the rest of his life.
Strap in folks, as we introduce you to Keith Norman Middleton. This 23-year-old man from Queensland has racked up an astonishing list of driving offences, including having his licence disqualified 16 times and almost dying in a crash while high on meth.
An unimpressed magistrate read his lengthy record of offences during a court hearing, where Keith pleaded guilty to his misdemeanours, including possession of dangerous drugs and utensils and four other charges from July 2021.
Reckless driving and speeding contribute to around 41 per cent of road fatalities, according to experts. Credit: Pixabay/Pexels
According to reports, Keith appeared in court via video-link from prison at Murgon Magistrates Court, with Magistrate Michael Holohan. The magistrate was told that the man was high on meth when he swerved into the opposite lane and crashed into a tree.
It was revealed that Keith was driving on the Bunya Highway towards Wondai when he crossed into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Police prosecutor Barry Stevens shared that Keith’s vehicle moved back to the gravel shoulder right after that.
Another driver who witnessed the incident told the authorities that Keith appeared to be ‘almost asleep’ at the time. Keith then swerved into the path of another car, then swerved sideways, before crashing into a tree.
Keith has had a wide range of offences. Credit: Keith Middleton/Facebook
First responders arrived at the scene and pulled Keith away from the vehicle, before rushing him to Princess Alexandra Hospital. It was reported that he was in critical condition at the time and sustained serious brain injuries. Keith remained in a coma for weeks.
On top of his disappointing driving record and the life-threatening crash, Keith had been jailed a total of 13 times prior to this and pinged for a series of other crimes as well.
The prosecutor argued that Keith’s traffic history and violations were ‘the worst he’d ever seen’, and suggested that Keith needed to prove to the community that he deserved the privilege to hold a licence.
His defence lawyer, Jay Rose, admitted that his client had been taking methamphetamines daily at the time of the accident, and ‘had always struggled to hold down a job’. But the lawyer also shared that Keith managed to complete a drug and alcohol course to show he’s trying to change.
Still, Magistrate Holohan disqualified Keith from driving ever again and sentenced him to 18 months in prison.
From 2015 to 2019, over 740 people were killed and 6,372 were seriously injured in speed-related crashes in NSW.
In Queensland, 277 deaths were recorded in 2021. It is believed that driving at higher speeds, inattentiveness, and not wearing seatbelts were the causes of the worst road accidents.
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