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Nettleship v Weston 1971 (CA) - Negligence case (inexperience)

This case involved a learner driver who mounted the kerb of a pavement in a car and damaged a lamp-post. Her instructor also suffered injuries and subsequently sued her for compensation.

Lord Denning MR determined that Mrs Weston, the learner driver, was clearly liable for the damage to the lamp-post. The civil law permits no excuse for the fact that someone is a learner and inexperienced. It requires the defendant to be of the same standard of care as any other driver. This is important because:

"It eliminates the personal equation and is independent of the idiosyncracies of the particular person whose conduct is in question."

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