A van driver who was convicted of involuntarily seriously injuring a cyclist was fined €800 today.

Raimondo Lauro, a resident of Fgura, was found to have caused an accident which happened on April 29, 2011 at 11 a.m. near Mistra.

The court heard that cyclist Zoltan Tanko was pedalling from Mistra towards Xemxija.

The accident happened when the van of the accused emerged from a side-street at a junction marked with a stop sign. He  did not notice the cyclist.There was a mirror across the road to help motorists emerging from the side road.

The cyclist could not stop in time and crashed into the side of the van. He suffered facial injuries and fractures in his left leg. 

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli said there was no doubt that the accused was the result of the van driver not keeping a proper look-out. He had emerged from a side road over a stop sign and was obliged to ascertain that he did not obstruct any other vehicles.

It was true that the configuration of the road  was not helpful but it was also a fact that a mirror had been installed because of that difficulty.

The fact that the accused never saw the cyclist showed that he had not kept a proper  lookout.

In considering sentence, the court said the van driver was being found guilty of careless but not dangerous driving. The court was also keeping in mind that the accused had no police record; that the street configuration was not easy; and the cyclist was financially compensated by his insurance for the damages he had suffered.