The two men had swapped cars and were driving at “high speed” on the road in slippery conditions when the crash occurred, the court heard.

Jedidiah Anderson, 19, pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to leaving the scene of an accident and other driving charges in relation to the crash on June 27 last year.

The court heard Anderson was driving his friend’s Hyundai Excel while his friend drove his SUV on Bridge Street at 1.50am.

The two were seen driving side-by-side at high speed when the SUV suddenly slowed down at the approach to a corner.

Anderson failed to negotiate the corner however, and skidded 180 degrees into the tree causing extensive damage to the Hyundai.

He then climbed into the SUV and left the scene without reporting it to police.

During a police interview on October 31, he told officers he did not know he had to inform police of the crash.

Anderson was then caught driving while suspended on January 31. Police had seen him performing a burnout at a roundabout at the intersection of Mundy and Hargreaves streets.

His licence had been suspended five days earlier.

He admitted to police he was “acting like a f***head” while doing burnouts.

Defence counsel Luke Docherty said there was some confusion as to whether his licence had been suspended.

He said Anderson was reliant on driving for his employment and suggested no further action be taken on his licence, only that he serve the remainder of the suspension.

Magistrate Peter Mithen said it was lucky Anderson was not killed in the crash.

“Can you imagine your parents getting that knock on the door after your crash?” he said.

“You could have easily hit your head on concrete and that would be it.

“I’m going to make you complete a road awareness course. When you’re done, you can spread the word with your friends.”

Anderson was convicted and fined $800. He will also be required to complete a road awareness course, and did not have his licence suspension increased.