Court Opinion

ID: 9680195
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 07:24:48.847051+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:26.632495
License: Public Domain

HOLMAN, Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent for the following reasons:

Governmental Immunity

All of the acts complained of by plaintiff concern failure to adequately warn a westbound motorist that the lanes north of the median carried two-way traffic. This being clearly in the area of traffic control, the doctrine of governmental immunity would apply and the city could not be held liable. The decision in the principal opinion is in direct conflict with our en Banc decision in Watson v. Kansas City, Missouri, No. 56,432, decided September 12, 1973.

Contributory Negligence

It is my view that plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence as a matter of law. This (among other reasons) because he was in clear violation of § 304.015 RSMo 1969, V.A.M.S., since he was admittedly driving on the left half of the roadway. The statutory provision in effect at the time of this occurrence reads as follows:
“2. Upon all public roads or highways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows:
(1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;
(2) When placing a vehicle in position for and when such vehicle is lawfully making a left turn in compliance with the provisions of sections 304.014 to 304.026 or traffic regulations thereunder or of municipalities;
(3) When the right half of a roadway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair; ,
(4) Upon a roadway designated by markings or signs for one-way traffic.”
None of the four exceptions in the statute appear here. Nor does it appear that plaintiff drove from the right to the left half of the road in avoiding an emergency situation. It is elementary that the violation of a statute such as 304.015 is negligence per se, i. e., negligence as a matter of law.
Plaintiff intended to drive his car in the lane where the collision occurred. His only excuse was that he did not know that said lane constituted the left half of a two-lane road designated for two-way traffic. That is not a lawful excuse. The statute comes in the classification of mal-um prohibitum, and criminal knowledge or intent is not an essential element thereof. It has been said that “[I]n order to establish legal responsibility for failing to drive and operate an automobile as close as practicable to the right-hand side of the highway in that the automobile crossed onto the wrong side it is not necessary to show that the offender intended to drive across the center line * * *. It is sufficient to show that while in charge of and operating the automobile he committed an act of negligence which resulted in the automobile not continuing in its proper lane, but crossing over and onto the wrong lane.” Wood v. Hulsey, 271 S.W.2d 218, 221 (Mo.App.1954).
For the reasons indicated I would affirm the judgment.