Vansh Khanna is accused of running a red light before striking two boys aged 12 and one aged 13 at an intersection on the Pacific Highway in Crows Nest about 3.30pm on May 18.
Police allege Khanna then fled before being tracked down and arrested a short time later.
Outside a brief hearing in Manly Local Court on Thursday, Khanna’s lawyer Hemant Prakash told AAP the teenager is going through hell.
“He’s devastated. He panicked. He did drive away … and called his poor mum like young children do,” Mr Prakash said.
According to Mr Prakash, Khanna’s mum told him to go home to his sister and call the police, after which he co-operated fully with officers.
The older schoolboy was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital and treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries.
The younger two sustained minor injuries and were taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital.
Khanna is studying at Macquarie University and had only been in Australia for three months at the time of the incident, according to Mr Prakash.
He said it was a “momentary distraction” that led Khanna to run the red light.
“You feel sorry for the children, which he does,” Mr Prakash said.
“He wasn’t even speeding. He was just distracted. It happens to everyone. The only thing is he panicked. He should not have left the scene, that really aggravates it.
“He’s not going to run away from it, he’s going to face the full length of the law.”
Khanna is charged with seven offences including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Mr Prakash said he is negotiating with police to have at least one of the charges facing Khanna dropped and hopes to resolve the matter in local court.
“I think the proper charges may be negligent driving, not dangerous driving,” Mr Prakash said.
Khanna is also charged with negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, two counts of cause bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle, failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and assist after impact cause injury, and running a red traffic light.
The matter has been adjourned while parties make representations and is due back in court on July 20.