Woman Blamed Fully For Crash ...

[joko]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572989/Woman-BMW-driver-killed-two-toddlers-ploughing-pushchairs-crashing-car-distracted-phone-call.html

am i missing something in this case?

it appears that they are pretty much 100% blaming this woman for the death of these toddlers - but she hit them only because her car was hit by another driver who ran a red light!

it seems the mans pathetic excuses of 'misconstruing the green light' and 'being confused by roadworks' etc, means they seem to think he is practically innocent!

i realise he has since died in unrelated circumstances so cannot be tried in court.

apparently she was on a hands free phone, and was going 36 in a 30 - both of which i agree are technically wrong - (i suspect she sped up momentarily to get through amber light) but had the man not run the red light and shunted her into the kids, there would have been no accident!
Of course she should shoulder some blame but i cant understand why they aren't slamming the mini driver too.

what do you think?

[pixie373]

Yes, it is a combination, but i think the report is skewed.

[jno]

what you're seeing here is events as presented by (a) lawyers and then (b) the Daily Mail. You needn't expect everything to be 100% fair and accurate.

[pixie373]

You might be talking about the court case, I'm talking about the report.

[joko]

exactly pixie

[Ann]

Poor little toddlers and especially poor parents - we must remember them in this horrific case, to lose two dear little tots in those circumstances is just unimaginable.

[emmie]

both careless, both at fault, poor children

[emmie]

i wasn't there, so can't answer you, but whichever way this comes out, two little children are dead because of two drivers carelessness.

[pixie373]

Exactly, it doesn't add up and I'm not sure confusion is much of an excuse when two toddlers have been killed.

[jomifl]

When crossing a traffic light controlled junction it is sensible to treat it as an uncontrolled junction and make sure that there is no traffic on a collision course with you.. A green light doesn't prevent accidents.

[pixie373]

He must have been going at some speed, to not avoid the other car- and shove it off course.

[Gromit]

Chewn
// That says to me, she has no real remorse. If she did have any true remorse, she would accept she was at fault. //

No. She can deny the deaths were her fault but still be remorseful.

A tragic case. A combination of events seem to have conspired to result in the deaths. Trying to apportion who was more to blame for the crash is pointless since the other motorist has since died.

-------

We are reading the Daily Mail's report of the prosecution evidence. In her defence:
- there is no evidence that she was speeding prior to going through the lights on amber.
- Talking on the phone hands-free is not illegal.
- Hard breaking is dangerous, and drivers do put their foot down if they cannot break safely which may account for the 6mph over the limit.
- the collision of the two cars has sent the BMW onto the pavement.

----

My guess.

She will be convicted. As the deaths were accidental, the dead driver also contributing, I think she might get a suspended jail sentence (two years) and a fine.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

/// what you're seeing here is events as presented by (a) lawyers and then (b) the Daily Mail. You needn't expect everything to be 100% fair and accurate. ///

Perhaps it would have been '100% fair and accurate', if the jury takes the opinions of the armchair deliberators on AnswerBank?

[emmie]

i am totally against drivers who use hands free, or hand held phones in cars, you have to concentrate, it may be irritating but as in this case, two babies are dead. They faff about looking for something, take hands off the wheel, what is so urgent that it can't wait. Both people were at fault,