Californian instinctively drove on wrong side of road

NEW ZEALAND – A Californian on holiday in New Zealand caused a head-on crash, injuring her partner and another driver, after instinctively driving on the right-hand side of the road.

Judge Lance Rowe told Jean Tina Daniels in the Palmerston North District Court on Thursday the case showed drivers need to keep alert at all times when on the road in foreign countries.

Daniels, 61, pleaded guilty to two counts of careless driving causing injury. She was driving a Toyota through Ashhurst, near Palmerston North, on Monday, with her partner in the passenger seat, when she came to the closed road through the Manawatu Gorge.

Once she figured out a different way to get to Napier, she turned around and headed back towards Ashhurst.

However, she then drove on the right-hand side of the road.

She came across a Mazda ute driving on the correct side of the road while travelling through a 50kmh zone.

Both drivers took unsuccessful evasive action and collided, and both cars caught fire after the crash.

The ute driver suffered a deep cut to his right knee, while Daniels’ partner broke and dislocated a shoulder.

Daniels told police she drove on the right-hand side of the road through habit.

Although cases like Daniels’ are usually put off until a later date so the defendant and victim can take part in restorative justice, her sentencing took place on Thursday because she was due to fly back to the United States on Friday.

Duty lawyer William Kronast? said Daniels had been on holiday in New Zealand since February 15.

She and her partner had been sharing the driving, and it was her turn that day.

Her natural instinct was to avoid the other car rather than braking, he said.

Daniels spoke from the dock, saying she said sorry to the other driver when they met in the emergency department.

The judge disqualified Daniels from driving in New Zealand for six months, which is required under law, but said it was largely academic.

She was also ordered to pay $2000 in reparation to the other driver. - Stuff