139 So. 2d 559 | La. Ct. App. | 1962
Plaintiffs, Wallace S. Knight, and his subrogee collision insurer, Emmco Insurance Company, instituted this suit against the defendant, Sidney L. Guidry, endeavoring to recover the sum of $343.90,
The defendant answered and denied negligence, and in the alternative, pleaded the contributory negligence of Knight in failing to maintain a proper lookout.
From a judgment in favor of the defendant dismissing plaintiffs’ suit, they have prosecuted this appeal.
The record reveals that S. Peters is a one way street which runs in a downtown direction, or roughly, parallel with the Mississippi River. Where it intersects Poydras Street, traffic therein is regulated by a signal light.
Lilly testified that at 10 p. m. on the night of the accident his office received a complaint that the semaphore in question was not functioning properly and that this was not repaired until an hour after the complaint was received.
The evidence inscribed in the record establishes that this signal light regulating Poydras Street traffic was green as plaintiff’s vehicle approached the intersection and that he was traveling in a Iakeward' direction at approximately 25 miles per hour.
Predicated on the foregoing evidence, the trial judge apparently concluded that the defendant was not negligent; however, we are of the opinion that this finding was erroneous.
While it is true that the evidence preponderates to the effect that the traffic signal regulating S. Peters Street traffic was not functioning when the accident occurred, defendant has established his own negligence by asserting that he entered into a blind intersection at a speed of 25 miles per hour. If we were to assume arguendo that this intersection was not regulated by a traffic light, defendant would still be guilty of gross negligence in view of the fact that plaintiff, who approached from his right, had the right of way.
The law imposes a duty upon a motorist to approach a blind intersection with extreme caution and ascertain that it is safe to traverse it before even entering therein.
Since the plaintiff had the right to rely upon the green signal in traversing the intersection and could not have seen the defendant’s vehicle in time to avert the accident, we are compelled to conclude that defendant’s negligence was the sole and proximate cause of the accident.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment appealed from is reversed, and it is now ordered that there be judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, Emmco Insurance Com
Reversed and rendered.
. The policy of insurance has a $100 deductible provision; therefore, Knight’s interest herein is $100, and the balance is Emmco’s.
. Goff v. Southern Coffee Mills, La.App., 144 So. 513
. Lambert v. Rogers, La.App., 109 So,2d 120.
.Although Wallace Knight was named as one of the plaintiffs, the vehicle was owned by his son, Reginald Knight. While this litigation was pending the elder Knight died and his son was substituted as a party plaintiff.