A grandmother was left with catastrophic injuries and contracting sepsis after a driving instructor hit her bicycle from behind at 55 mph. The cyclist, Rebecca Tanton, stated that the driving instructor, Jon Dick, has never apologized for the incident that occurred two years ago.
In November, a judge found Dick guilty of causing serious injury by careless driving. He was given a suspended prison sentence and a two-year driving ban, which ended his career as a driving instructor.
Ms. Tanton, in her late 50s, described her injuries as permanent, requiring seven metal plates to be inserted into her bones. In a difficult period, she also had to arrange her 33-year-old son's funeral from a hospital bed after he died from brain cancer. She credited her helmet with saving her life but emphasized that her life has been irrevocably altered and she experiences constant pain, while Dick remains free with no apparent remorse.
Before the crash, Ms. Tanton was an active individual, engaging in horse riding, swimming, and cycling approximately 40 miles daily. The incident occurred on October 7, 2024, on Manby Road in Lincolnshire. Dashcam footage showed Dick driving his Ford Puma, marked as a training vehicle, accelerating as Ms. Tanton appeared in view. Despite wearing glasses, Dick did not see Ms. Tanton and collided with her from behind.
Ms. Tanton's pelvis was severely fractured, and bones along the right side of her body were broken. She also sustained a facial injury down to the bone over a fractured eye socket, requiring emergency surgery and plastic surgery that evening. She received an emergency blood transfusion due to significant blood loss.
Following extensive time in intensive care, Ms. Tanton had five plates inserted into her pelvis, one into her hip, and one into her shoulder. She stated that Dick's actions took away her freedom, independence, and enjoyment of life.
In March of the following year, Ms. Tanton developed sepsis, an infection around the plates in her bones. This necessitated further surgery to remove the infection and an abscess, and her wounds were treated with antibiotic beads. During this operation, her bladder was accidentally torn, requiring a catheter for three months.
Shortly after, Ms. Tanton learned of her son Josh's death from a rare brain tumor. Josh, a marine pilot, had been guiding ships along the River Thames. Ms. Tanton attended his funeral with a catheter and while struggling to walk due to her injuries.
While the sepsis was cleared, doctors discovered that infection was still present around the plates, which could not be removed due to incomplete bone fusion. This leaves Ms. Tanton at risk of recurrent sepsis, with doctors indicating a one-in-three chance of survival if it returns.
Dick was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and initially appeared in court in July 2025. He was sentenced in December 2025 to a 26-week prison term, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for 24 months.
In her victim impact statement, Ms. Tanton conveyed the unquantifiable impact on her family and described their experience as a living nightmare, with loved ones praying for her survival during hospitalizations. Her eldest son, Jason, testified that the incident had profoundly altered their lives, causing fear, sadness, and stress, and he expressed pride in his mother's resilience while wishing the event had never occurred.