Court Opinion

ID: 9741477
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:56:26.601151+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:24.350419
License: Public Domain

Hannon, Judge,
dissenting.
I must respectfully dissent from the decision of the majority, but only from that portion of the opinion which considers the negligence of Jack and its effect. Jack knowingly and deliberately drove into swirling snow which would block his vision. I *661would hold that as a matter of law, such a foolhardy act was contributory negligence, at least as great as the negligence of Crouse. Therefore, recovery is precluded under § 25-21,185.09.
I think that Prime Inc. v. Younglove Constr. Co., 227 Neb. 423, 418 N.W.2d 539 (1988), and Murray v. Pearson Appliance Store, 155 Neb. 860, 54 N.W.2d 250 (1952), both hold that it is negligence as a matter of law to drive into snow that would block the driver’s vision. The court in Prime Inc. returned the case to the jury to compare the defendant’s negligence with the possible negligence of the plaintiff. Comparing negligence to contributory negligence is necessarily unique to each case, so there is no authority available to'help compare the parties’ negligence in this case.
In my opinion, Jack’s act of driving into swirling snow where visibility was going to be practically zero is, as a matter of law, much more negligent than the possibly thoughtless method by which Crouse went about the necessary task of clearing snow from the City’s streets. I would reverse the trial court’s judgment and dismiss the cause.