Big sister learns to drive, months after fatal lake crash in Melbourne's west claimed three siblings' lives

PHOTO: Nineteen-year-old Akoi Chabiet learns to drive, with Dee Wilson's help. 

Months after losing three siblings in a tragic lake crash in Melbourne's west, 19-year-old Akoi Chabiet is learning to drive so she can help care for the rest of her family.

One-year-old Bol and four-year-old twins Anger and Madit drowned in April when the car their mother was driving plunged into a roadside lake in Wyndham Vale.

Since then, Akoi has taken on more parental responsibilities for her other three siblings.

Their mother no longer drives, and has moved to the Gippsland town of Morwell to stay with relatives, while police continue their investigation into the crash.

"Everyone is still shocked, even myself, I'm still shocked," Akoi said.

"It feels like my siblings have gone on a trip and I'm expecting them to come back. It will take me time to get over it."

She said she has deferred her study at Deakin University until next year to focus on the family's recovery from the tragedy, and to learn to drive herself.

"My mum used to drive us everywhere but after the accident, I was like, I have to start finishing my (driving) hours because it's the only way I'll be able to help my siblings."

Akoi wrote a message to a local driving instructor who trades under the name Ls2Ps, thinking she was contacting the Vic Roads-funded L2P program.

In her message, she wrote "My little sister is diabetic and I always have to catch the bus with her to go to school. Now we have no car or money to pay for (driving) hours to be finished and I was wondering if you can help me".

When Ls2Ps instructor Dee Wilson received the message, she took it upon herself to make sure Akoi would get her licence.

"I knew who she was because I was driving in the area at the time of the accident ... so I thought I've got to help her, and it's just snowballed from there," Ms Wilson said.

"She's at the stage of just doing car control — brake, acceleration and turning. She's only done four hours, so she has a fair way to go.

"We'll get her there eventually."

Ms Wilson has since created a fundraising campaign to help cover Akoi's driving lessons.

Akoi said she was scared to get behind the wheel, but felt really happy to be getting help from local instructors.