FORMER Murtoa man John Kelly, 48, has worked as an Ambulance Victoria paramedic for more than 22 years and has spent most of his career in the Wimmera.
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The past 12 years he has worked as an intensive care paramedic, with a 12-month stint in Melbourne and Ballarat while completing training.
Mr Kelly said he became a paramedic to help people, but often people's actions impacted negatively on themselves, their families and their communities.
"Being in a rural area, the ripple effect when someone is killed in a car crash is really felt," he said.
"The smaller the community, the more well known the person who is killed or injured is and most paramedics have been to incidents where they know the person involved.
"You tend to do what you can do professionally, but afterwards, the incident really does affect you.
"Quite often people on the scene are volunteers as well - CFA and SES volunteers for example and they will know the person involved too."
Mr Kelly said it was particularly sad when children and young adults were killed or injured in road crashes.
"Those jobs tend to affect you more, because children especially have no say about the person driving," he said.
Mr Kelly attributed crashes and fatalities to a variety of causes.
"A crash can occur as a result of speed, fatigue, alcohol, mobile phone use when driving or a lack of seatbelts," he said.
"Even today, lots of people don't wear seatbelts which means if you are involved in a crash, injuries are usually more severe.
"People think it won't happen to you, but the statistics show otherwise.
"You may survive a car crash, but the extent of your injuries mean your life will be changed forever."
Mr Kelly urged people to think of others when getting behind the wheel.
"If you've caused someone else to be killed or injured, then you've got to live with that," he said.
