Careless Driving Causing Injury
Steve was driving to the wharf to do some fishing when he lost concentration and pulled into the path of another vehicle, driven by Katie. The collision resulted in Katie suffering severe injuries, requiring a lengthy hospital stay, numerous blood transfusions and several operations. However, as Katie’s injuries were not immediately apparent at the crash site, Steve was unaware of the seriousness of Katie’s injuries until many months later. When Steve pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving causing injury, he asked for the opportunity to meet with Katie and she agreed.
At the restorative justice conference, Steve explained why he had not been in touch with Katie sooner and apologised for causing her pain and suffering. Katie told Steve about the full extent of her injuries and the ongoing challenges she faced on her road to recovery. She explained that her main concern had been the fact that Steve had not even checked to see how she was and she had assumed that he did not care. Steve’s personal and heartfelt apology allowed Katie to move on and they agreed to stay in touch so that Steve could be kept up to date with her progress.
At his sentencing, Steve was convicted and discharged, given a mandatory 6 month driving ban and ordered to pay Katie compensation for her injuries.
Speaking about the restorative justice process, Steve said:
“I found the Restorative Justice conference to be a worthwhile exercise and it gave us a chance to talk together and share things about each other which we would never have known otherwise. I was able to apologise to Katie face to face for what had happened and we could openly discuss our own feelings to the situation we both found ourselves in.”
For Katie, the meeting was an important part of her healing process. She said:
“The process gave me a sense of closure. It gave me a chance to voice my concerns and also allowed me a sense of forgiveness after hearing from the driver of the other vehicle. It was a great opportunity for both parties to heal and move forward in our lives.”
*Names have been changed.