MOTOR COLLISION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 333, 21 September 1932, Page 6

MOTOR COLLISION

Our District Representative)

WOMAN DRIVER FINED FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING '

(From

The sequel to a motor collision on , August 22 last between a car driven by Constable Breed, of Opotiki, and a delivery van driven by Mrs. Tui Horwood, of Te Telco, was heard before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Whakatane Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Mrs. Horwood was charged with reckless driving and with driving in a manner dangerous to the publie. The facts, as stated by the police, were that Constable Breed was travelling from Opotiki to Rotorua and on account of one of his passengers suffering from car sickness was proceeding slowly, his pace not exceeding 20 niiles per hour. When approaching the hridge close to Awakeri, he noticed a vehicle coming towards hina very rapidly. His car was almost over the bridge, which was a oneway bridge when the other car, which he eonsidered was travelling at a speed between 40 and 50 miles per hour collided first with the railing of the approach to the bridge, and then cannoned over on to his car. After the aceident, Mrs. Horwood told hina that she was doing 38 miles per hour. Both cars were badly damaged. Constable Breed gave evidence on the lines indicated. When questioned by counsel for the defence, he stated that he did not prepare the plan submitted. The road on both sides right up to the bridge was wide enough for two cars. He never gave a stop sig-

nal or any indication to suggest he was about to stop. He believed that the van which Mrs. Horwood was driving would be capable of doing 60 miles per hour. Constable Johnson stated that the plan produced was prepared by him. An error had been made in respect to the length of the bridge the actual mcasurements of which were 23 feet in length by 12 feet wide. He stated thafc it was possible that the brolcen rallings were not caused by the collision. Noel Kerr, aged 17, stated that he was a passenger with Mrs. Horwood on the morning in question and he cstimated the speed at the bridge at 35 miles per hour. He did not think Mrs. Horwood applied the bralces. He was no judge of speed. Mrs. Parkinson a passenger in Breed's car, stated that she was feeling sick and on that account, the car was going slowly. She was in the back seat and anticipated a sniash when she saw the speed at which the van was approaching. Counsel for Mrs. Horwood said that his client had been a licensed driver for two years and had driven continuously during that time. On the morning of tlie smash, she was not driving very fast and would not have attempted to get over the bridge had she not thought that the oncoming car was going to stop. In giving evidence, Mrs. Horwood stated that the bus was fairly top heavy and could not travel very fast as one cylinder was out of action. To Constable Cumming defendant said that the van could not go 40 miles per hour and that slie had never previously had an aceident. Neither was she aware that eomplaints had been made about tlie speed she had driven. She assisted her husband on a rural del:very round and had been licensed by the County Council. In summing up, the MagisLrate said that in his long experience with service drivers he had noticed that they always approached bridges at a speed at which they could pull up inimediately, and it was plain from the evidence that defendant had been driving in a reckless manner. Owing to the fact that her license would be cancelled the line would not be heavy. Defendant would be found guilty on both eharges and fined £2 and costs on each, whiie her driving license would be cancelled.