Changing traffic lane without indication is rashness: Court

Changing lane in moving traffic without proper indication amounts to rashness, a Delhi court has held but acquitted a bus driver in a negligent driving case saying vehicles coming from behind also need to maintain safe distance from the one ahead.
While reversing the order of a trial court that had held Kishan Lal guilty of rash driving, Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar Jain gave him the benefit of doubt, saying prosecution had failed to prove his negligence.
"No doubt, in moving traffic, changing lane without giving proper indication to the vehicles behind amounts negligence or rashness but vehicles coming from behind also need to maintain safe distance from others on the road," the judge said.

"I am of the considered opinion that the evidence led by prosecution is not sufficient to prove that the accident had taken place due to rashness or negligence on the part of the bus driver, thus appellant Kishan Lal deserves the benefit of doubt, accordingly, I acquit the appellant from all charges," the judge said.
The court held that there was a possibility of car driver Manmohan Bedi, who had lodged the complaint against Lal, coming at a high speed from behind and after finding the bus in front of him he lost his control and rammed into the bus.

Bedi had alleged that Lal did not use the indicator before changing lane while it was at a high speed which resulted in the accident.

The court said that it was not clear which lane was the bus in, prior to the accident, hence, "it is difficult to draw any inference qua the negligence of the bus driver".
According to prosecution, on March 4, 1999, the car rammed into Lal's bus from behind near Karol Bagh bus terminal in which Bedi suffered grievous injuries.
The trial court had held Lal guilty of rash and negligent driving and sentenced him for nine-month rigorous imprisonment and had directed him to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to Bedi.