Dangerous driving accused 'did not see motorbike' before head-on crash
A car driver who overtook a van and struck a motorcycle head-on has told a jury that he did not see the Suzuki coming.
The crash happened on the A41 Hinstock Bypass near Market Drayton on September 9, 2018.
Rauhan Aziz, 25, is on trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court accused of causing serious injury to Peter Welch by dangerous driving.
Giving evidence on oath Aziz said he that he was driving his friend's black Vauxhall when he tried to pass the van towing a caravan.
"We were on our way to Rhyl. He picked me up in his car. He was looking to buy a new car and he wanted a second opinion.
"Everything was fine at first then he started complaining of having heart palpitations and that he was feeling faint. He asked me to take over the driving as it wasn't safe. He asked me to take him to a hospital and we were on our way to one he'd found on his phone."
Aziz told the court: "Before the incident the caravan which was being driven erratically. It was slowing down then speeding up. Another vehicle overtook the caravan.
"I looked to see if it the road was clear to overtake as well. I manoeuvred to the left of the caravan to get a clear view. There were vehicles in the distance. I moved to the right hand side of the road to overtake.
"Then in the blink of a eye the motorcycle knocked into us. I didn't see it when I looked ahead."
Aziz, a pharmaceutical scientist, said he believed it was safe to complete the manoeuvre and he did not see the motorcyclist until it was too late.
Under cross-examination by Timothy Ashmole, prosecuting, Aziz said: "It was safe for me to overtake the caravan. I took the measures to overtake. It was at a safe enough distance for me to see what was ahead."
He told the jury that at the time he believed he was covered by third party insurance to drive his friend's car, but following the collision checks revealed that he was not covered. He said he had his own car and was insured on a policy taken out by his father.
It is the prosecution's case that the defendant's driving fell far below normal standards.
Mr Welch, a lorry driver, suffered serious injuries to injuries to his arms, back and legs as a result.
The defendant, of Fox Hollies Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, denies the charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The trial continues.
