A 39-year-old man from Hoogeveen has been sentenced to 180 hours of community service for causing a serious accident near Zuidwolde. The judge also banned him from driving for six months.
Last year on April 16, the man drove at high speed and with an overloaded trailer on the N48. The trailer swayed due to the speed and weight. The man lost control of this and the trailer ended up on the other side of the road. A collision with another car resulted. Its driver suffered a broken sternum and bruised hips.
The 9-year-old daughter of the Hoogevener was also injured. She was sitting in the front of the car with her father without seat belts. The judge finds that the thirty-something showed very indifferent driving behavior. He was aware that the trailer was overloaded. The fenders had been removed by the man and were in the trunk. They pressed the wheels through the load.
A few days after the accident, the Hoogevener was again caught speeding. He was fined for this. “He takes no responsibility for his behavior in any way,” the judge said. De Hoogevener failed to contact the victim and he did not appear at the hearing two weeks ago for an explanation.
The punishment is equal to the requirement of the Public Prosecution Service.