Mullins v. Seals

103 So. 2d 582, 1958 La. App. LEXIS 586
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided May 26, 1958·No. No. 20958·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

JAMES G. SCHILLIN, Judge ad hoc.

This demand results from an intersec-tional automobile accident, plaintiff alleging that on March 24, 1953 at about noon, while engaged in his regular employment of driving a New Orleans Public Service bus, his vehicle was struck by a huge tractor-trailer then being operated by Norman Seals, acting in the scope and course of his employment by Don W. Huey and Blytheville Canning Company.

The bus was being driven on Magazine Street away from Canal Street in an uptown direction, and plaintiff avers that when he had barely entered the intersection of Common Street (the first intersection from Canal Street to cross Magazine Street) he saw this large vehicle approaching from his left, whereupon he immediately applied his brakes and came to a complete stop; that while in this stopped position, the vehicle of defendants, travelling from the direction of the Mississippi River to the Lake, continued across Magazine Street without stopping, as a consequence of which “the right front portion of the trailer struck the right front side of the bus, * * * ” defendants’ trailer-truck continuing for a “considerable distance beyond Magazine Street before it was brought to a stop.”

After Don W. Huey and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company had been eliminated from the action, a circumstance which is not an issue here, defendants, Norman Seals, the driver of the tractor-trailer, and Blytheville Canning Company answered admitting that Seals was driving his vehicle on behalf of Blytheville Canning Company; that, as he was proceeding towards Lake Pontchartrain on Common Street, Seals slowed, and, seeing no traffic close enough to constitute a hazard, proceeded to cross Magazine Street, and, after having almost cleared the intersection, his vehicle was struck violently on the right side of the tractor unit near the rear end thereof by this Public Service bus operated by plaintiff; that, in the alternative, if primary negligence was established, then plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence which bars his recovery.

While there are no traffic signs, signals or lights at the intersection of Magazine [584] and Common Streets, it is conceded that plaintiff’s vehicle had the right of way, and that he must succeed unless defendants have established their defense of “preemption.”

We adhere to the standards heretofore set forth in Vernaci v. Columbia Gas Co., La.App., 71 So.2d 417, 418, which a motorist must meet who relies on this doctrine, to-wit:

“Defendant’s plea that the truck preempted the intersection has no merit, ¡because pre-emption does not result from merely entering an intersection first. The motorist, before he can successfully rely on pre-emption, must show that he made entry into the intersection at proper speed and sufficiently in advance of the car on the intersecting road to permit him to proceed on his way without requiring an emergency stop by the other vehicle. The entry into the intersection just a fraction of a second ahead of the other vehicle does not create a pre-emption. Lafont v. Nola Cabs, Inc., La.App., 65 So.2d 918; Aucoin v. Houston Fire & Cas. Co., La.App., 44 So.2d 127; Butler v. O’Neal, La.App., 26 So.2d 753.”

It would serve no useful purpose here to sift or analyze the evidence. On the question of liability we agree with our learned brother below and adopt his findings and conclusions as our own, to-wit:

“The evidence convinces me that defendants’ truck driver was solely responsible for the accident, and that the bus driver was not guilty of primary or contributory negligence. Disinterested passengers in the bus testified that the truck driver crossed Magazine Street without stopping.
“There is no dispute between plaintiff’s and defendants’ witnesses that the truck of defendants did not stop before entering Magazine Street, but continued right on travelling 10 to 12 miles an hour. Defendants’ own truck driver and his brother, who accompanied him on the trip, so testified. The “truck driver testified he entered 8 to 10 miles an hour, while his brother testified 10 to 12 miles, but, for this purpose, we will assume he entered Magazine Street, without stopping, travelling 10 miles an hour. The truck driver also admitted he could see clear to Canal Street, a block away, or 150 feet. He saw the red traffic semaphore light at the intersection of Canal and Magazine.
“Plaintiff and his witnesses testified that plaintiff’s bus was travelling at a moderate speed of 15 to 18 miles an hour. There is no evidence as to the width of Magazine Street, which I must assume is 30 feet, or one-fifth the distance from Common to Canal. Plaintiff’s bus, therefore, had to travel 150 feet from Magazine and Canal, where the defendants’ driver first saw it, to the intersection where the collision took place, while defendants’ truck travelled across Magazine Street, a distance of 30 feet. Since defendants’ truck was travelling 10 miles an hour, plaintiff’s bus had to travel 50 miles an hour in order for the two to meet. Defendants’ truck driver did not preempt the intersection. He just entered it apparently without looking. The bus driver stated that, as he approached within 10 feet of the intersection of Common Street, he saw defendants’ truck approaching on Common Street, and concluded the truck could not, or would not stop. He applied his brakes, and the front part of his bus (the vestibule) came in contact with the right side of defendants’ truck.
“I am compelled to hold the accident was due solely to the failure of the defendants’ truck driver to accord plaintiff the right-of-way. Preemption of an intersection takes place when one [585] has the right to enter, not because he actually enters.”

We are particularly fortified in this resolution by the virtual admission by counsel for defendants, during the oral argument in this Court, that reliance is really placed on defendants’ alternative plea of contributory negligence, which plea must be overruled.

The substantial issue here is whether the quantum allowed by the Judge of $500 to plaintiff is correct, considering that plaintiff’s demand in the aggregate totals $45,150.46, because he contends his present, serious physical impairment was brought on, or aggravated by, this accident.

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Mullins v. Seals, 103 So. 2d 582, 1958 La. App. LEXIS 586 (La. Ct. App. 1958).

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