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The Rhodesia Herald,

March 3, 1978

A SALISBURY motorist who failed to stop after being involved in an accident and was chased by a complainant, was involved in another accident as he tried to get away, Harari Magistrates Court was told yesterday.

Appearing before Mr N.B. Richardson, David Foroma (25) of Section One, Kambuzuma Township, pleaded guilty to negligent driving; driving without a valid driver’s licence; failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident.

He was found guilty on four counts and fined a total of $250 (or 115 days’ jail).

He was also banned from driving for two years and the magistrate ordered that any driver’s licence Foroma might obtain in the next five days should be endorsed.

The State alleged that at about 11pm on December 12, Foroma drove negligently on the Kambuzuma Drive and was involved in an accident at the intersection of Westwood Drive, but did not stop to ascertain whether anyone had been injured, and failed to report the accident.

In the same court yesterday, Elias Machena of Glen Norah Township, pleaded guilty to driving negligently on the Tilbury Road/Willowvale Road intersection on the night of January 27. He was fined $60 (or 30 days’ jail). Mr FA Craig appeared for the state in both trials.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

• Driving a vehicle without a licence is a crime that carries stiff penalties. Nowadays most of the young drivers on the roads, especially those driving commuter omnibuses and pirate taxis do not have valid driver’s licences and are notorious for being a law unto themselves turning the country’s roads into a traffic jungle.
• The judiciary should continue to impose stiff sentences on unlicensed and reckless drivers because they are a danger to other road users and even pedestrians.
• Walking or running away from an accident is not a solution. In most cases, it worsens the problem. The best way to deal with a problem is to face it head-on no matter the consequences.