Opinion ID: 2223970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Instruct With Respect to Headlights.

Text: At the time the collision occurred it was dark and had been snowing for some time. The highway which had not been plowed was icy and slushy. Plaintiff testified that he guided himself with respect to position on the highway by watching the snowbanks at the side of the road, and the highway shoulder when visible, and by following the tire tracks of vehicles which had preceded him. Plaintiff claims that the left headlight of defendant's car was not lighted when the vehicle approached. This testimony was corroborated by that of Blake, a passenger in plaintiff's car. Defendant was asked whether on his way from Milwaukee to the point of collision he had an opportunity to check his headlights. He answered that when he stopped at a truck stop he had seen the reflection of his headlights on some glass and they [the headlights] were both reflecting, I believe. We have a situation where each driver claimed that the other invaded his lane of travel and the jury found both equally causally negligent. While the trial court instructed the jury of the duty to keep a proper lookout, to have the car under proper management and control, to drive on the right side of the highway, and to pass on the right of a vehicle coming from the opposite direction, no instruction was given with respect to the duty of an operator of a motor vehicle to have two operating headlights during periods of darkness. We are of the opinion that, if a proper instruction had been given with respect to headlights, this may well have tipped the scales so as to cause the jury to apportion more of the negligence against defendant than the plaintiff. Drawing on their own experience, members of the jury would be likely to recall instances when they were misled as to the position of another car on the highway at night due to the other car having but one operative headlight. The absence of a lighted left headlight is more likely to mislead an approaching driver than the absence of a lighted right headlight. Plaintiff's counsel failed to request an instruction relative to the duty of an operator of a motor vehicle to have his headlights lighted when driving on a highway during the hours of darkness as required by sec. 347.06 (1), Stats. Where instructions are incomplete, and do not cover a point that ought to be covered, this court will not reverse for error unless a timely request for appropriate instructions has been made to the trial court. [4] One exception should be noted to this rule and that is where the instructions given are erroneous because of the omission. This, however, is not the case here inasmuch as the instructions given were complete in themselves without any reference to headlights. The failure to request an instruction on headlights precludes this court from reversing for error. Nevertheless, we feel that justice probably miscarried when the jury found each driver equally causally negligent because of the failure to instruct as to headlights. For this reason we exercise our discretion pursuant to sec. 251.09, Stats., and direct a new trial with respect to the negligence issues. The trial court in its memorandum decision, in referring to the damage issue raised by defendants-respondents states: The defendant's alternative motion for reduction of damages to reasonable amounts would enlist the consideration of the court except that if the verdict is approved the damages become immaterial. The motion would only become material if the verdict is changed so as to establish liability on the part of the defendants for the damages. In view of this we are remanding the question of whether the new trial should also extend to the issue of damages to the trial court to exercise its discretion with respect thereto.