Man crashed into car that had stopped to do a u-turn on Laois road

A man appeared in court accused of dangerous driving after he crashed into a car which had stopped to do a u-turn. 

Adam Burns (21) of 5 Arlington Estate, Portarlington, appeared before Portlaoise District Court accused of dangerous driving at Corrig, Portarlington on November 24, 2024. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant was driving at Corrig in Portarlington when he struck a 08 registered car from behind. He said the driver of the other car had missed a turn and had stopped to turn when it was hit from behind. 

Sgt Kirby said the woman driving the other car suffered muscular injuries and was out of work for six to eight weeks. The car she was driving had significant damage to the right rear bumper. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client came up to a left hand bend and immediately encountered a car which had stoped to do a u-turn. She said the man pulled to the right but struck the rear of the car in his 12WH registered VW Jetta. “Our car was damaged on the right front side,” she said. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client, who was fully insured, should have been able to stop. She said insurance had covered the damage but there was still a personal injury. She said her client had no previous convictions and was employed as a first year apprentice electrician.

“The manoeuvre she was undertaking on the day was unhelpful,” said Ms Fitzpatrick as she sought to have the dangerous driving charge reduced to one of careless driving which doesn’t attract an automatic disqualification.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the injured party’s statement indicated that the impact had caused her car to rotate 360 degrees two or three times. He said this would indicate that the defendant’s car was travelling at excessive speed. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said the collision occurred in an 80kph zone and her client had taken responsibility. “She has not been prosecuted for the manoeuvre,” she added. 

Judge Andrew Cody said he would like to see all of the evidence in the case. He adjourned the matter to Portlaoise District Court on October 2.