Each time paramedics revived him with a defibrillator before he was airlifted to a Melbourne hospital. 

“I can't remember much of the accident. It's all very hazy to me. I was very confused,” he said. “Apparently I died three times on the side of the road.

“(Now) I can't see out of my left eye, I have lost a lot of vision in my right eye and I have brain injury that makes me slur my words more.”

Six months later, Mr Hayden-Brooks continues to recover and complete rehabilitation.

“I couldn't walk but have gone from using a frame to a walking stick. Now I am able to walk again and am slowly getting better and better. It's amazing,” he said

Mr Hayden-Brooks hopes a proposed Rural Road Trauma Research Hub can use its research expertise to reduce the number of deaths, disabilities and injuries related to car crashes.

“It's pretty important, I never knew about any of this. I didn't worry about road trauma until I was in an accident and realised how bad it can be,” he 

“I wasn't worried about anything (while) riding my motorbike. I was five years old when I first rode a bike and never worried about crashing. I would just get back up and keep riding.”

La Trobe University Bendigo head of campus Rob Stephenson said their disciplines of rural health, psychology, pharmacy, engineering, planning, education and law were all eager to work together to bring down the regional road toll.

“We have seen the road toll coming down but it is coming down faster in metropolitan areas than regional,” Mr Stephenson said.

“We need to do something about that in regional Victoria. 

“(The research hub) will make a difference for regional Victoria but the lessons we learn and the outcomes are things we can apply across Australia to reduce road toll.”

Bendigo Health rehabilitation medicine consultant Faraz Jeddi said he and his staff had lost count of the road trauma victims they have guided through rehabilitation.

“In our life we have seen a lot of these stories,” he said.

“The data suggests that road traffic accidents are a major cause of significant disabilities in young adults.

“It will be welcoming to have more data to implement how front line staff work with these people. It is important to know and help improve our practices on a daily basis.”

Dr Jeddi said the aim with rehabilitation was to see patients return to their communities.

“Road trauma victims) have to live with their injuries and we have to ensure as much as we can that they have a safe return back to the community,” he said.

“(This is why) we need more data and studies to show us the best way forward.”

Federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said it was important to acknowledge the victims of road trauma.

“Luke is (one of the faces) of road trauma, he's not the flowers on the roadside,” she said. “When someone loses a loved one as the result of a road accident it is heartbreaking. But we cannot forget the people who survive and then, for rest of their lives, are on the journey to recovery.

“While Luke in early stages (of recovery), I’ve met people who were victims of road trauma a decade ago and are still living with that. It gives a real human impact and motivation to reduce accidents on roads and support victims of accidents.”

Ms Chesters said she would be lobbying for support and funding in Canberra.

“The first thing I am hoping for is to get the Federal Government, whether it Labor or the Liberal-National Coalition to back this project,” she said.

“I believe it should be a priority for any future government to get this hub funded. It is about letting the research inform us to make sure we are spending every dollar (on roads) wisely.”