Was Sir Ranulph's Road Traffic Accident Treated Differently?

Adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been the subject of criticism over the last couple

of days after hearing that he will escape a driving ban for causing a road traffic accident that left another motorist with serious injuries.

Sir Ranulph, 66, was returning from the 42-mile High Peak Marathon on March 6th this year when he momentarily fell asleep at the wheel of his X-type Jaguar, which struck Luigi Castaldos Nissan Micra with such force that it was pitched into a roll. Although his son, a passenger in his car, was not injured, Mr Castaldo himself had to be taken to hospital after the crash and still requires help to walk.

However, in court it came to light that he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, which undoubtedly contributed to his injuries. If Mr Castaldo is considering making a compensation claim for his injuries, this fact could work against him.

Contributory negligence often has the effect of lowering an award made by the court in the event of such an occurrence. It is obvious that, had he been wearing his seatbelt, Mr Castaldos injuries would have been much lighter.

Having said that, Sir Ranulph should not be let off the hook. The former army officer, who climbed to the summit of Everest only last year, has at no point tried to excuse or deflect the blame away from himself. However, even the prosecution admitted that Sir Ranulph is not a normal human being.

This argument may well be true in some ways, but on the road all standards need to be applied equally. An article in the Manchester Evening News expressed the opinion that Sir Ranulph must be treated just like any other road user. The newspaper recalls a similar defence being offered by Gary Hart, the man who caused the death of ten people in the Selby train crash when, having fallen asleep at the wheel, his Land Rover drifted off the road and on to train tracks of the East Coast main line. He had been up all night talking to woman he had befriended on the internet, and the judge branded his claim that he didnt need to sleep like other people arrogant.

In the end, the charge of dangerous driving was not brought against Sir Ranulph, with the lesser charge of driving without due care and attention being applied instead. He was fined 1000 and his license was endorsed with four penalty points, something that angered Mr Castaldo:

"It's absolute rubbish. It sounds like they were defending him. I cant believe he (the prosecution) said that.

A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service offered an apology, stressing that the comment was merely meant to clarify why the lesser charge was being brought, and that no offence was caused.

Sir Ranulph may have escaped serious punishment, but Mr Castaldo, as mentioned already, can make a claim for compensation to redress the balance of his life after the accident, which has left him with both physical and psychological injuries, even though his eventual award may be less than expected thanks to the reasons outlined.

by: Richard Craig

POST COMMENT

The Real Significance Of Forensic Auditor Montgomery County, Md Hiring An Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer After An Ontario Car Accident Ottawa, Ontario Personal Injury Lawyer Explains How To Calculate Ontario Car Accident Compensation. Dunedin Real Estate - How To Determine How Much You Can Afford Beyond Models: Models Motorcycles For Collection And Considerations Affordable Advertising Services On Gambling Directory Maui Spa Vacations Mumbai Bus Routes offer Picturesque Ride to Mumbai How Downloading the Latest Compaq Drivers Can Resolve Driver Issues Save More All Inclusive Vacation Packages Perfect For Seniors And Travel Oriented : Suggestions Conc Inexpensive Tahiti Vacation Packages Designed For Senior Citizen And Travel Oriented : Common Sense Budget All Inclusive Vacation Packages Suited For Seniors And Travel Oriented : Suggestions On Landi Affordable Relax Time Promos To Beatify You: Suite Rooms, Air Tickets, Eating Places, Shopping Cente