Road accidents are a daily occurrence. We at The Injury Lawyers take on countless claims for victims of negligent drivers in their search for justice and the compensation they are legally entitled to receive. With the winter months setting in and the weather worsening, I expect a noticeable increase in the volume of road accident claims we take on; which is a common trend.
But every now and then, a road accident is not just a road accident. Sometimes, it seems like shear madness is the cause of negligence – so here’s a couple of stories from Sky News and The Daily Mail of incidents that certainly have an air of craziness about them.
According to one report from Sky News (Melbourne Mum Crashes Car Crammed With Seven Kids), a 35 year old woman from Melbourne, Australia, is being investigated by police after she crashed an unregistered ’92 Mitsubishi Magna which was carrying seven children; including three in the boot! She was allegedly over the drink-drive limit (which is not surprising, and certainly explains, but does not excuse, her actions) when she drove the car off of the road and in to a parked vehicle.
The report advises that the car had a 10 year old boy in the front passenger seat, two 14 year old girls and a 15 year old in the backseats, and three boys, two 14 and one 15, in the boot of the vehicle, many of whom have suffered minor injuries. The driver claims that the children climbed through to the boot using a hatch by their own accord, as the back seat was too cramped; which is certainly no excuse! There shouldn’t have been so many people in the back in the first place!
She apologised to media when confronted, with police labelling her actions as “mad”, advising she is expected to face criminal charges.
What on earth possessed the driver to get behind the wheel of the vehicle whilst over the drink-drive limit, let alone cramp seven children in to the back of the car, is beyond me. I have said it before, and I shall say it again – drink-driving is the definition of utter stupidity. We all know the dangers, and we all know the effects alcohol has on our driving. The driver has put the lives of several children at risk – it’s a miracle no one was seriously hurt. This could have been so much worse!
In another story of road madness from the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1321289/Hit-run-nightclub-horror-reveller-stolen-car-ploughs-crowd.html), a 26 year old male is being questioned by police on suspicion of attempted murder after he ploughed a stolen vehicle on to a packed pavement outside a bar because he was refused entry to the club earlier, according to the report. The incident occurred in the small hours of Sunday morning outside the Dali Bar in Rochester, and has left 14 people injured; of which three remain in hospital.
Chief Superintendent John Rush of Greater Manchester Police has said “This could have been a fatality. There’s a serious injury in relation to a fractured skull… people have been literally hit like skittles.” Police are appealing for witnesses, and a passenger in the car has been asked to step forward, with police adding: “The person we are looking for knows we want to speak to him so if anyone knows where he is they should call us”.
The report advises that seven men and seven women require treatment for injuries sustained following this incident. In a statement from one victim, the scene was described as “like something out of a film. There were people lying all over the floor. They were screaming. It was a right mess.” The photos from the aftermath show forensic investigators with items of clothing strewn all over the place – it resembles something out of a disaster film…
So, we have a drink driver with a car packed full of children, and a man so angry for being refused entry to a club that he decides to drive a car on to a pavement full of innocent pedestrians. Two stories of shear madness. Both, particularly the latter, must have been absolutely horrifying for the victims involved – and more notably, both could have been so much worse.
Anyone with information regarding the Manchester incident is asked to contact police on 0161 872 5050, or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
For specialist legal advice on claiming for compensation, don’t hesitate to give The Injury Lawyers a call for a free, no obligation chat about your options.
