Opinion ID: 2619250
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Custom.

Text: The trial court refused to allow appellant to prove that it was customary for a driver of a vehicle in his position to proceed through the intersection at the same speed that traffic normally flowed along the highway, when the light was green and the lane of traffic to the driver's left had stopped because someone coming from the opposite direction was preparing to make a left turn. For evidence to be admissible it must be relevant [1] and to be relevant it must tend to establish a material proposition. [2] Appellant contends that the evidence of custom which he offered was relevant because it would tend to establish two propositions: negligence on the part of Knight, and lack of negligence on appellant's part. To prove that Knight was negligent, it was necessary to show that he failed to exercise such care as a reasonably prudent person would have exercised under like circumstances. This was the test to be used by the jury under the court's instructions. Proof that it was customary for one in appellant's position to proceed through the intersection at the normal highway speed would give rise to the inference that a reasonably prudent person in Knight's position being aware of the custom, would anticipate the continuous flow of approaching traffic and would govern his actions accordingly in making a left turn against such traffic. If the evidence showed that Knight, knowing of the custom, had not governed his actions accordingly in making his left turn, then the existence of the custom might be relevant as tending to show that Knight had failed to act as a reasonably prudent person ought to have acted. But the evidence was all the other way. It was uncontroverted that Knight had signaled for a left turn and had come to a stop before turning left to cross appellant's lane of traffic. Under examination by appellant's counsel, Knight testified that he had realized there might be traffic coming through the intersection in appellant's lane, and that while making his left turn he had checked that lane three times to see if it was clear. This evidence, if believed, tended to show that Knight had done precisely what the evidence of custom would have established he ought to have done as a reasonably prudent person. Proof of the custom would not have tended to establish that Knight had failed to act with reasonable prudence, but only that he should have acted as the evidence shows he did act. The evidence of custom was irrelevant on the issue of whether Knight was negligent. It is quite generally the rule that evidence of custom is admissible as bearing on what the community regards as proper and reasonable conduct under the circumstances, although it is not conclusive. [3] Professor Wigmore limits the application of this rule by spelling out two requirements. The first is that the circumstances must be substantially similar. The second is that the evidence of custom may be excluded by the trial court if it feels that the evidence will merely confuse the issues. [4] The appellee contends that in the instant case the evidence was properly excluded as not fulfilling the first requirement. He points out that the evidence of custom sought to be introduced by the appellant pertained only to situations in which an ordinary car was stopped in the left turn lane whereas here a large semi-truck tractor was stopped in that lane waiting for the oncoming vehicle in the lane of traffic moving in the opposite direction to negotiate its left turn. This, says the appellee, demonstrates that the circumstances were not substantially the same. The trial court apparently felt that the difference in circumstances was substantial enough to render the evidence of custom inadmissible. The appellant has not convinced us that the trial court erred in the decision it reached on this point. When a person in appellant's position sees that the light ahead is green, that the lane of traffic to his left has stopped, and that his view of the intersection is not unobstructed, reasonable prudence calls for him to slow down and proceed into the intersection with caution because of the likelihood that the intersection has been blocked by a vehicle which may be intending to enter or cross that person's lane of traffic. The evidence of custom was not relevant in the circumstances of this case to the question of whether appellant had exercised the proper degree of care for his own safety. The trial judge did not err in excluding such evidence.