Drivers must exceed the letter of the law
A trucker who was driving slowly, obeying the highway code, and was taken by surprise by a boy on a bicycle who suddenly swerved in front of him is still liable for injuries he caused the cyclist, according to a Supreme Court ruling made public yesterday. Greece’s highest criminal and civil court overturned a lower court decision, according to which the truck driver was not to blame for the incident in the central town of Volos. The accident occurred when the 12-year-old changed lanes to overtake a parked car just as the truck was doing the same. The boy was severely injured. The Supreme Court ruled that the trucker – who was going at 30 kph (18 mph) – should have ceded right of way to the cyclist. The decision noted that all drivers should display prudence at all times, particularly when it comes to children, the blind and the elderly.
