A pensioner has avoided a driving ban after she crashed into a parked car near an Isle of Wight school after the sun ‘momentarily’ blinded her vision.
Rosalyn Carter, of High Street, Wootton, attended the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court for sentencing on Friday, June 28.
The 77-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report an accident.
Lauren Stone, prosecuting, said that on January 11, a woman had parked her car on Church Road in Wootton to collect her child from nursery.
Church Road in Wootton (Image: Google Maps)
Ms Stone told the court that the woman had the door open and was placing the child into a car seat when Carter, driving a Volkswagen Up, collided with the parked vehicle.
The collision forced the door to close onto the woman, who was said to have let out a ‘scream of pain’, suffering a damaged knee ligament due to the impact.
Ms Stone said Carter briefly stopped but quickly left the scene, providing no details and did not report the incident to police.
The court heard that when police contacted her a few weeks later, she told officers she did not believe it warranted the police being involved.
Tom Cooke, defending, said the woman’s car was not damaged in the collision, and his client had no idea an injury occurred, so she did not feel the need to report it.
Carter had never had an accident before and had never had a point on her licence, the defence added.
Mr Cooke, explaining the reason behind the collision, told the court: “The sun was in her eyes, and she could not see where she was going, momentarily.”
Carter was handed a 12-month community order to include ten rehabilitation days and must pay a £114 surcharge, £85 in costs and a £50 fine.
She has also had her licence endorsed with seven penalty points.
Magistrates warned Carter: “Any further errors of judgement in your driving could push you into a driving disqualification.”
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