Harris sped off, later claiming he was partially blind and had been "freaking out" because one of his children was screaming in the car.
Chesterfield suffered serious injuries including a shattered leg.
In her victim impact statement to the court on Wednesday, Chesterfield revealed her injuries were so extensive she had to move back home, unable to care for herself fully.
"I can't go out alone, I can't drive – every day I have a new appointment – I never have a day to myself. I am grateful for all the help I receive but I am exhausted."
She expressed her forgiveness for Harris, saying she hopes the children who were in Harris' car at the time receive the help they need.
"I don't think you're a bad person, I want you to have a good life. I don't hate you, I forgive you."
Judge Phillips told Harris he commended Chesterfield's bravery in being able to forgive him for his offending.
"I can only acknowledge the court that her openness and forthrightness hopefully has brought home to you the sense of responsibility you were entirely lacking."
He says Harris "threw all his responsibility" out the window when he hit Chesterfield.
"You put it down to your children crying but it was you attempting to escape apprehension. You lied to your family, saying you had been beaten up. You concealed your vehicle at a friend's house, took off the rear number plate. Finally, the good in you came out – you admitted what you had done."
Taking into account Harris' swift guilty plea, and balancing it against what he called "high-end carelessness" Judge Phillips sentenced him to eight months home detention.
"[Chesterfield] was there to be seen, you did not see her. You were using a phone, you accept you are clinically blind and shouldn't be driving either, and you were forbidden from driving."
Harris will also be disqualified from driving for two years.
