A man who crashed into a car on the opposite side of the road was convicted of dangerous driving at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.
Karmot Ali, 15 Oaklawn, Kilalla Road, Ballina was driving home from work on January 12 this year when at 5.20pm he struck the car of a Mary Keane who was driving on her side of the road.
Ms Keane in evidence told the court that she saw a car swerving in and out of the line of traffic which the defendant was in, and onto her side of the road. On one occasion Ms Keane used her breaks as she was afraid that the defendant was going to go onto her side of the road — something which she said that he did do a few seconds later when he crashed into her black Toyota Avensis.
Ms Keane’s sister, Carmel Keane also said that the defendants red car came “spinning” across the road at them which resulted in the car being written off, and the passengers being cut from the car and sustaining injuries.
Garda Noel Crinnegan was called to the scene at Coolturk, Crossmolina. Gda Crinnegan noted that the road conditions were appalling that day as there had been heavy rain and there were pools of water along the straight stretch of the road where the accident occurred.
Ali made a statement a few days later at the Garda station, where he said that on return from his job in Spar in Bangor he drove the usual way home. He said that as he was a provisional driver that he was driving slowly but did overtake a slow car in front of him. The defendant said that he did not see the car that Ms Keane was driving, and that his car skidded in the water which caused him to crash.
Judge Mary Devins said that she accepted that the place of impact was on the side of the road that Ms Keane was driving; that Ali’s erratic driving was noted before he crashed and that he should have exercised more caution when driving in such wet conditions.
Thirty-five year old Ali, who has no previous convictions, was convicted and fined €750 and disqualified from driving for two years. Recognisances were fixed.
