If only I had kept my bicycle on the left side... A mother's regrets after losing her daughter while she was commuting to school
Quick Look
- In June 2024, the Maebashi District Court sentenced the defendant, a 39-year-old woman, to 1 year and 2 months in prison, suspended for 4 years, in connection with an accident in which a second-year high school student who was riding her bicycle to school was hit and killed by an oncoming vehicle on a road in Maebashi City.
- Although the defendant was found to be seriously negligent for failing to look to the left, consideration was given to the fact that the victim was driving in the right lane.
- The bereaved family is appealing for safety on the route to school.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
At around 8:20 a.m. on June 11, 2024, a second-year high school girl who was riding her bicycle to school on a one-lane road in Maebashi City was hit and killed by an oncoming vehicle. The defendant, a 39-year-old woman, was found guilty of negligent driving causing death.
Two years ago in June, a second-year high school girl (16 at the time) was killed on a road in Maebashi City when she was hit by an oncoming car while riding her bicycle to school. The 39-year-old female defendant who was driving the car was found guilty of negligent driving causing death, but the female student was driving in the right lane, contrary to the rules. The student's mother expressed regret, ``When I think about the possibility that he might have survived if I had driven in a different lane, I can't help it.''
"The defendant will be sentenced to one year and two months in prison. The sentence will be suspended for four years."
Judge Hiromi Shibata handed down the verdict at Maebashi District Court on the 10th. The court pointed out the defendant's responsibility, saying, ``The driver carelessly veered to the left and drove on the side of the road, which is a dangerous situation.'' ``The degree of negligence is grave.''
The accident occurred on June 11, 2024 at approximately 8:20 a.m. On a one-lane road with a side strip on each side, Yu Tanaka was riding his bicycle near the white line in the right lane on his way to school when he collided with an oncoming car driven by the defendant.
At trial, the prosecution pointed out that the defendant had been repeatedly driving in a meandering direction just before the accident. The defendant admitted in court that he was ``preoccupied with oncoming traffic and did not look closely ahead, especially to the left.''
Judge Shibata stated, ``There are circumstances in which the victim was riding a bicycle on the right side of the road,'' and concluded, ``If the defendant had kept his eyes on the left side in front of him, it would have been easy to avoid the accident.It has little effect on the defendant's degree of negligence.''
Mother: “Safety on the way to school…”
Tomo's mother, Natsuki (44), stood patiently in court on the 10th.
Natsuki had an accident while going to work...
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Possibility of administrative review regarding safety measures for school routes
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Detailed circumstances of the defendant's meandering driving
- Future administrative measures regarding safety measures on school routes
- Details of specific safety measures requested by the bereaved family
