‘I will never ride a go-kart again': man's team-building day ends in hospital

A COMPANY team-building event turned to disaster when a Verulam father was thrown from a go-kart, leaving him completely immobilised after he suffered severe spinal injuries.

Yastil Rugunanan, 27, an operational manager at a call centre, said while he was lucky to be alive, he faced an uncertain future as doctors decided whether he would require surgery to his damaged spine.

He said his company’s team-building event on Friday, was meant to be a light-hearted day with senior managers and started with go-karting at Wicked Karting in Cornubia Mall.

They were then meant to go for lunch, drinks, and exchange festive gifts at a local restaurant.

Rugunanan said the day did not go as planned when tragedy struck in the final race.

“Whilst the race was on for a final winner, I bumped into a colleague with my kart. Normally when you bump into someone the car stops and you press on the fuel pedal and drive off again. In this instance I was thrown out of the go-kart. I literally flew out of the go-kart. I was airborne until I landed on my back.”

Rugunanan said he assumed there would be  a seatbelt in the kart, but “in fact there was no seat belt.”

He said  impact left him unable to move, and he lay on the track in excruciating pain waiting for emergency responders.

“I felt like my entire world was coming to an end just lying on the ground waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Something that was meant to be joyful ended up being so tragic. This incident could cause me never to walk again.

“I have two young kids and a stay-at-home wife. We still have a future ahead of us which we want to live to the fullest,” he said.

He was transported by ambulance to Mount Edgecombe Hospital.

Here, an MRI revealed damage to his L3 and L4 spinal discs.

Rugunanan said doctors were still assessing if he would require surgery.

“I will only know after a second scan if I will need an operation. It is day five now and I am still waiting for answers. I am feeling a bit stronger and attempting to walk with a brace. It is an emotionally and physically challenging time for me,” he added.

As part of his treatment, Rugunanan was advised to purchase a lumbar brace which cost R5 500.

Rugunanan said his father paid for the brace and he hoped his medical aid would reimburse him.

Despite his ordeal, Rugunanan said he was grateful that the collision did not injure his colleague.

“Luckily the other person did not get hurt. I will not ride on a go-kart again,” said Rugunanan.

His wife, Danielle Rugunanan, also 27, said she was home with their children when she received a message about the accident from her husband.

“Just that morning, I told him he had worked so hard the whole year, that he should enjoy himself at the team building. My husband is a prankster so I thought he was joking, until I phoned him and heard how much pain he was in.”

Danielle contacted her mother-in-law, who rushed to the scene. 

“When she got there, she said he was looking bad. When I got to the hospital, I was emotional because I did not know what to expect. I was scared but had to be strong for my g children who wanted to know where their father was.”

The family is now focused on Rugunanan’s recovery.

“I am glad to see him better now and look forward to him being back to normal,” Danielle said. 

 “We will never go on a go-kart again, especially not our children. I have always been wary of go-karts, after the incident where a young girl had her scalp ripped off a few years ago.”

She added that the choice of activity surprised her when she heard about it.

“He generally likes relaxed sports like fishing which he does every week, not go-karting.”

Responding to the incident, Wicked Karting, said they always put the safety of their customers first.

“We strictly adhere to all safety regulations, and while every effort is made to ensure customers safety the one thing we cannot control is how racers race on the track. Before any racer can go on our kart's, rules are explained to them and controls and handling of the kart is explained. Our rules are very strict and on to the point - no bumping and no reckless driving, if any of these rules are broken then the racer is disqualified.

“We also have warning flags which are also explained before the race. We make sure all our customers are aware that karting can be dangerous and while every effort is made to insure safety, accidents do happen. We also have an indemnity form that our customers sign before any races, our manager is also trained for first aid. If any of our customers are hurt badly we also have an ambulance on speed dial. However, we wish Yastil a speedy recovery,” said Wicked Karting. 

Life Response 24/7 paramedics, who were dispatched to the scene said safety precautions must be followed when go-karting.  

“Always wear proper safety gear, including a helmet and closed shoes. Listen carefully to the briefing, follow all instructions from marshals and track staff. Drive within your limits, maintain a safe speed, especially around corners. Keep both hands on the wheel, this improves control and reaction time. Stay alert and aware of other drivers, check your surroundings and give others enough space. Report any issues if your kart feels unstable or something seems wrong, notify staff immediately.”

The POST