Motorist tells court stop sign at scene of crossroads crash was 'facing wrong way' 

The 29-year-old, whose car struck the rear left-side of another vehicle on a rural road, had no insurance at the time of the collision

The court heard that the road was dark at the time and the accused was 'unaware that there was a road there'. File picture

A motorist who crashed into another vehicle at a rural crossroads has told the district court that she was not aware there was a crossroads ahead of her because the stop sign at the junction was facing the wrong way.

Bantry District Court heard that Bethan Coaker, aged 29 of Lissangle, Caheragh, Co Cork was driving along a minor rural road at Leitry Lower, Castledonovan, Co Cork, at 6.30pm on the evening of February 3, 2025.

As Coaker went through Castledonavan Crossroads, her car struck the rear left side of another vehicle, which had the right of way going through the junction. The court heard that the impact caused the injured party’s vehicle to spin around “several times” on the road.

The court heard that Coaker did not have insurance or tax for the vehicle she was driving, but had no previous convictions. Coaker and the injured party attempted to come to an arrangement regarding compensation but when this could not be agreed, the injured party reported the incident to gardaí nine days later.

Defence solicitor Colette McCarthy said her client was pleading guilty to driving without insurance and careless driving. She told the court that the stop sign at the junction was loose and was “not facing the road at all” at the time of the accident and Coaker, who was not familiar with the road, simply did not realise she was at a crossroads.

Ms McCarthy said that Coaker previously had worked with Microsoft but had started her own herbal remedies business at the time. She said that her client’s insurance had lapsed and she was not in a financial position to renew it. The court heard that Coaker was not driving excessively fast and the road markings at the junction were barely visible. Ms McCarthy said that Coaker had since secured employment in a sales role that would require her to drive.

Judge Joanne Carroll said that Coaker had made an error of judgement by not renewing her insurance and had compounded that error by making a further error in respect of her driving. 

She said that it was evident she was emerging from a minor road onto a more major road but given the fact that she would have to compensate the injured party and face higher insurance premiums, she would not disqualify her.

Coaker was convicted of careless diving and driving without insurance and fined €125 with four months to pay on each charge. The convictions will also see her driving license endorsed with five penalty points.

Coaker told the court that it was dark at the time of the accident and she “did not see anything” and was completely unaware that there was a road there.” She said that she was not driving too fast and was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Judge Carroll said that Coaker needed to realise when she was ahead and reminded her she had broken the law by driving without insurance and could have been disqualified from driving.

• This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme