Drivers will be held responsible for accidents on zebra lines: HC

KOCHI: The High Court (HC) has said that pedestrians are the first priority on zebra lines and in case of an accident here, the responsibility lies with the driver of the vehicle that caused it. The single bench directed that zebra lines should be properly marked on all major roads for pedestrians to cross the road and clarified that this is the prime responsibility of the officials concerned.

Justice Devan Ramachandran stated this while rejecting the appeal filed by the state insurance department against the decision of Thalassery MACT to pay Rs 48.32 lakh compensation to the kin of Dorina Rola Mendenza (50), a native of Kozhikode, who was hit and killed by a police jeep while crossing the national highway at Kannur's Cherukara.

"Only a few places on our roads are marked with zebra lines. Drivers are legally obliged to slow down at junctions and zebra crossings. People pay attention to such things while learning to drive, but later on, this mentality changes, which shouldn't happen. For that, a copy of the verdict should be given to the chief secretary, state police chief, public works department secretary and national highways authority.", the HC said. The petition will be considered again on March 10.

Dorina, who was the head teacher of LP School, died in an accident on February 10, 2015. The single bench said that the cause of death was due to an inexcusable act of the police driver who is more than anyone else responsible to follow the law.