Supreme Court Rules on Liability in Sudden Brake Road Accident

The Supreme Court held that a car driver who brakes suddenly on a highway is negligent, following a case where S Mohammed Hakim's motorcycle collided with a stopped car, leading to injury. The court attributed negligence percentages to the car, bus, and Hakim, impacting compensation distribution.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that drivers who abruptly apply brakes on highways without signaling can be deemed negligent in the event of an accident.

This verdict was delivered in response to a plea by S Mohammed Hakim, who suffered a severe injury resulting in the amputation of his leg following a collision in 2017. The car involved in the accident had come to an unforeseen halt, causing a chain reaction and leaving Hakim severely injured.

The court held various degrees of negligence among the car driver, bus driver, and the appellant, impacting the distribution of a significant compensation amount. Justice Dhulia, who authored the judgment, emphasized the expectation of high speed on highways and the responsibility of drivers to caution other road users when stopping unexpectedly.

(With inputs from agencies.)