Driving ban on bus driver for injuring passenger

A bus driver was yesterday given a one-year jail term suspended for four years and was banned from driving for a year for involuntarily causing serious injuries to a passenger whom he sent flying out of the bus while "showing off" and trying to overtake another.

Raymond Borg, 48, of Mellieha, pleaded guilty to failing to observe traffic regulations in Mosta Road, Lija, on October 11 and to seriously injuring 69-year-old Elsie Towner.

He also pleaded guilty to driving recklessly and dangerously, failing to drive the bus on the left side of the road, speeding, failing to take the necessary precautions when overtaking and damaging two trees worth less than Lm50.

Borg admitted that he was "showing off" when he was trying to overtake the other bus. "The other bus did not hit mine but I drove too close to the centre strip, the wheel got trapped against it and I kept on driving onto the centre strip," he said.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani-Grima heard several eyewitnesses, including Towner's relatives, explain that the accident happened when Borg and the other bus driver were trying to overtake each other.

She also heard how Towner was in danger of loss of life and had suffered from fractures to the head, neck, shoulder and ribs.

The magistrate ruled that, in contrast to what the defence lawyers claimed, Borg's driving was more dangerous than reckless.

His driving would have been considered reckless if the bus had been empty but the bus was full and there were eight standing passengers at the time.

Magistrate Padovani-Grima ruled that Borg deserved a reduction in punishment considering he had filed a guilty plea at an early stage of the proceedings.

She said she was opting for a suspended jail term rather than a jail term, balanced by a suitable ban on driving, bearing in mind that Borg earned his living from driving.

Police Inspectors Simon Galea and Dennis Theuma prosecuted.