A 60-year-old woman from Zeegse has been convicted of very inattentive driving. As a result, she caused a serious accident in Donderen in July 2024 in which a family was injured. The woman was given a community service order of eighty hours.
The woman was not looking at the road, so she noticed too late the car that was stationary on the N386. She completely collided with that. Shortly before the collision, the woman focused on the navigation on her phone. In a flash she saw a white car. A family with two young children was in the car.
As a result of the accident, a four-month-old baby suffered a hemorrhage between the skull and meninges. This was only discovered a few days after the accident. The father suffered a broken wrist, the mother whiplash. She continues to suffer from this to this day. The other child in the car escaped unscathed. The suspect also suffered injuries.
The judge finds that the 60-year-old driver is seriously at fault for this accident. The punishment takes into account the woman’s genuine sense of guilt. She would like to get in touch with the family for a mediation meeting.
The woman has not been convicted before and she now has a car with a fixed navigation system. “She takes responsibility,” the judge said. In addition to the community service, a conditional driving ban of three months was also imposed. Two weeks ago, the Public Prosecution Service proposed a fine of 1,500 euros and an unconditional driving ban of three months.
