Community service for driver who fatally struck woman at Kikar HaMedina

The Traffic Court in Bat Yam has sentenced a 67-year-old driver to nine months of community service for causing the death of a pedestrian and severely injuring three others at Kikar HaMedina in Tel Aviv. Judge Elad Shur ruled that the defendant’s negligence was at a low level, taking into account her personal circumstances and the victim’s family’s request to avoid a prison sentence.

The accident occurred on September 12, 2022. The driver had parked her car in a bay facing the sidewalk. While waiting in the running vehicle with her son, she accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. The car lurched onto the sidewalk, striking three people on a bench and pinning a 36-year-old woman against a storefront. The victim died shortly after at the hospital, while the others were hospitalized with severe injuries.

Under a plea agreement, the driver admitted to causing death through negligent driving. The prosecution had argued for a "high-medium" level of negligence, requesting 13 months of actual imprisonment and a 14-year license disqualification. The defense argued that the incident was a momentary, involuntary error—a type of mistake more common among older drivers—and highlighted the defendant’s clean record and her role as a caregiver for her husband, who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

Judge Shur accepted the defense’s characterization of the negligence, defining the incident as a "regrettable human error" devoid of reckless behavior like speeding or ignoring traffic signs. However, he rejected the notion that age-related mistakes justify leniency, stating: "Anyone not medically or cognitively fit to drive should not be on the road; if an accident occurs, they must bear the responsibility."

The court praised the "nobility of spirit" of the victim’s family, who stated they did not wish for the defendant to be imprisoned, noting that the psychological burden of the event was already a "life sentence" for the driver.

In addition to community service, the defendant’s license was disqualified for eight years. She was also ordered to pay a total of 85,000 shekels in compensation: 15,000 shekels to each of the three injured parties and 40,000 shekels to the victim’s family.