NEGLIGENT DRIVING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 8, 4 October 1919, Page 11

NEGLIGENT DRIVING

CAUSES SERIOUS ACCIDENT

WOMAN FINED £2

The circumstances attending an accident which occurred at the corner of Tory Street and Vivian Street on August 27 last were investigated before Mr. ii. Page, S.M., nt the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Kcnnie Alberla Townend was charged with driving a motorcar nl u speed dangerous to public safety. , ' According to the evidence, on tho date in question Hie defendant was driving her car up Tory Street, and as she approached the Yjvian Street intersection she met a tram which was proceeding along Vivian Street towards Cuba Street. She swerved to tho right to avoid the tramcar, and in doing so knocked down a man who was standing at the corner of the street, and then collided with a horse-drawn vehicle which was proceeding along Vivian Street, in the direction of Kent Terrace. The injured man, -whose nnmo is John Dobson, was picked ui) and taken into the hotel, .and subsequently removed to the hospital suffering from fracture of the base of the skv.ll. Ho iB still in the hospital, "but is reported to he progressing towards recovery. > ~,iii For the defence, counsel said that durin» the afternoon the defendant was at an hotel in Tory Street about one hundred and thirty yards from Vivian Street. She left the hotel in her car with the intention of going to Cuba Street, and, not knowing the locality well, she was directed to take tho 6eeond turning to the ri.dit. As sho was proceeding to take the turn she met the tramcar on her loft, and she then swerved in further to the right. In' doing so die passed, over the corner of the footpath and struck the man, who sho thought was standing on the road. The evidence showed that the motor-car was proceeding at a normal speed, and that Mrs. Townend was not driving recklessly, but was exercising every care. The defendant thought that her way to safety was to keep into Hie right, as she desired to avoid the tramcar. The defendant gave evidence on the of counsel's statement. . . Hi* Worship .said that a conviction must be recorded. He considered that defendant had'driven the car negligently, and her negligence lay m the direction of nlncing herself, in the position of having to drive over the footpath to avoid a collision with the tram. No doubt "tho defendant was strange to the thoroughfare, but she should have exercised more care. She would be fined ,£2, and costs. ,