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'Ryan could have died in horror crash' - Mother speaks out after son left in coma for three weeks

'Think before you get behind the wheel. Think of all the lives you could ruin.'

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Ryan and his mother Nadine

Those are the heartfelt words a mother whose son was luckily to survive a horror crash which left him in a three-week coma.

Nadine Plimmer, aged 52 from Netherton, has issued the stark warning as part of Road Safety Week taking place this week.

Her son Ryan, 22, suffered life-changing injuries following the crash earlier this year which saw his friend, the driver, sent to prison for dangerous driving.

Nadine, who has been caring for Ryan full-time, said: "My message to drivers is think before you act. Think of the consequences before you get behind the wheel. Think of all the lives you will ruin. It is not just the people in the car but their family and friends."

Ryan added: “If I had known that the car was stolen there was no way on earth I would have accepted a lift home. The consequences of accepting that lift have thrown my life into turmoil.

“I’m trying to remain strong and concentrate on my recovery but it’s difficult when the doctors don’t yet know how much of a recovery I may make.

“I know all too well the terrible impact that speeding has. I now just hope that motorists also see the misery and pain they inflict on others and their families by speeding and in future stick to the limit.”

National Road Safety Week is being organised by Brake and runs from 20-26 November. The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Speed Down Save Lives.’

Her message comes as part of Road Safety Week, organised by charity Brake, which aims to promote awareness of road safety.

Ryan's injuries

Ryan was a passenger in a car driven by Timothy Pascal, who was doing speeds of 83mph in a 30 limit on the wrong side of the road.

The crash happened in Halesowen Road, Netherton, on March 19 around 5am.

The car - a stolen black Corsa - was travelling so fast it snapped a telegraph pole off at the base before crashing into a canal.

Fellow passengers Lauren Lunn and Courtney Miller were seriously hurt while Pascall escaped injury.

Ryan was in a coma for three weeks and was in hospital for six. He had to be airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham following the crash due to his severe injuries.

He ripped a main artery in his heart and suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on his brain.

Ryan's injuries

He ruptured his bladder, broke his collar bone, femur and arm, damaged his pelvis and suffered bleeding to the lungs.

Ryan was bound to a wheelchair after he came out of hospital, but his condition gradually improved and he moved onto a walking frame and now is on crutches.

He is now being supported by lawyers at Irwin Mitchell.

Nadine says her son will recover from the accident in time but he will never be the same again. He had to quit his job as a result of his injuries.

She said: "I think that must have been the worst day of my life on the day of the crash.

"I got a knock on the door at 6.40am in the morning by a police liaison officer who asked if I was Ryan Plimmer's mom. You start to think of the worst.

"He said 'your son has been involved in a serious crash around 5am in the morning'.

"When he told me Ryan had been airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, I knew it was serious."

Ryan bares scars on his body as a result of his injuries. He needed a total of six operations but doctors say he may need a hip replacement in the future.

Pascall hurtled towards a hump back bridge on Halesowen Road before the crash.

His girlfriend at the time, Lauren, 21, feared for her life and pulled at the steering wheel to try and get in back on track. Pascall snatched it from her grasp and he lost control.

The Corsa, which was on false plates and was stolen from Leamington a week earlier, careered across the road before crashing into a telegraph pole and then canal.

Ryan Plimmer

He lied to police and said the driver had fled the scene which resulted in a helicopter search for a non existent fifth occupant.

Pascall was handed a five-year jail sentence in June following the crash.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and causing serious injury by dangerous driving to both Ryan Plimmer and Courtney Miller.

He also further admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice on the same day and driving without insurance.

Doctors told Nadine that Ryan was the worst injured person and at one point thought he might die.

Nadine said after Ryan had surgery to put a stent (tube-shaped device) in his artery, doctors said 10 years ago they wouldn't have been able to save him because the technology was not available then.

But she thanked all the emergency crews involved for helping to save her son's life.

She said: "We are lucky. We are so lucky he is here.

"I would like to thank all the emergency services, they were outstanding.

"From the paramedics what realised Ryan was in serious trouble to the air ambulance which took him to hospital to all the nurses and doctors.

"When there are multiple injuries like that, its is numerous surgeons and nurses involved and they all played their role and they all saved his life."

The theme of this year's safety campaign by Brake is ‘Speed Down Save Lives.’ It runs until Sunday.

Figures revealed by Brake show there has been 9,809 road crashes in the West Midlands in the last ten years.

Katie Flatman, specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, which is seeking to help Ryan access funds to pay for his rehabilitation, said: “Ryan’s life, and the lives of his family, have been turned upside down by the reckless actions of the driver who despite pleas to slow down was intent on speeding.

“Ryan has made great progress considering the seriousness of his injuries but he still faces a lengthy battle to try and overcome the multitude of injuries sustained in the crash the best he can.

“With our work in helping those injured on the roads through no fault of their own, we regularly see the devastating impact speeding can have on people’s lives. Ryan’s story is the latest example of this.

“Both Irwin Mitchell and Ryan are proud to support Brake’s Road Safety Week.

"We join Ryan in urging selfish and irresponsible drivers who think it is acceptable to break the law to stick to the speed limit and help reduce the number of people seriously hurt or killed because of speeding.”

Jason Wakeford, director of campaigns for Brake, the road safety charity, said: "Not only do needless road collisions cause untold suffering but they also place an enormous strain on the NHS and other public services.

"Speeding is a factor in many deadly crashes and remains a major problem. Driving is unpredictable and if something unexpected happens on the road ahead, such as a child stepping out from between parked cars, it's a driver’s speed that determines whether they can stop in time and, if they can’t, how hard they will hit. That's why we're encouraging everyone to 'Speed Down Save Lives' for Road Safety Week this year.

"Brake is also calling for a default 20mph limit in all built-up areas, increased enforcement and 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation', which helps drivers stay within the limit, to be fitted as standard to new vehicles."

For more information, visit www.brake.org.uk