The Sole Survivor: The crash that changed his life forever

In this deeply moving episode of the Horizons by RAC Podcast, adaptive athlete and road safety advocate Rob Pike shares the story of the crash that changed his life forever at just 17 years old.

• Watch on YouTube

• Listen on Spotify

• Listen on Apple Podcast

Rob was in Year 12 with dreams of playing AFL and joining the Defense Force when a split-second decision on a rain-soaked road led to tragedy. The car he was travelling in aquaplaned and hit a tree, killing three of his closest friends. Rob survived but lost both his legs below the knees.

In this conversation, Rob speaks with honesty and vulnerability about survivor’s guilt, waking up in hospital to discover the extent of his injuries, and the long road of physical and emotional recovery that followed. He reflects on the small choices that led to that moment, and why young drivers must understand that even little decisions can have lifelong consequences.

Rob also shares how wheelchair basketball became a turning point in his healing. What began as encouragement from his dad turned into a nearly 20-year career representing Australia, winning international medals and now coaching the Australian Wombats wheelchair basketball team.

Today, Rob stands in front of more than 14,000 WA students each year at RAC’s bstreetsmart youth road safety event at RAC Arena, delivering a message that is raw, confronting and unforgettable.

The next RAC bstreetsmart event will be held on 31 March and 1 April 2026, giving thousands of WA secondary students the opportunity to re-think risk taking behaviour on our roads.

Listen to the full episode to hear Rob’s remarkable journey on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Podcast Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction to the podcast
(2:55) The day of the accident
(9:58) What it felt like during the rescue
(16:13) Waking from a coma
(18:58) Realising the extent of the life changing injuries
(23:28) Navigating survivor's guilt and mental recovery
(27:28) Finding healing and purpose in wheelchair basketball
(30:57) Speaking at RAC’s B Street Smart event
(34:28) Bringing road safety education to regional WA
(36:43) A message to young drivers on making the right choice
(39:43) A proud father moment and the future of advocacy