Woman struck girl on pedestrian crossing in  Portlaoise

An inexperienced driver was looking behind at a car that was beeping at her when she hit a girl on a zebra crossing in Portlaoise. 

Marija Fjodarova (46) of 41 The Springs, Kilminchy, Portlaoise, appeared in court accused of careless driving at Dublin Road, Portlaoise, on December 20, 2024. 

The accused, who didn’t have legal representation, was asked about the offence by Judge Andrew Cody. 

“I fully admit my guilt,” she told Judge Cody at the sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the woman had failed to yield at a pedestrian crossing and had struck a girl on a bicycle who had suffered a minor injury to her left leg. He said the woman was apologetic and had never come to garda attention before. 

The accused explained that as it had been raining so she had decided to bring her own child to school. 

“Because I was inexperienced in driving I was looking at the car behind me which was beeping because I was slow,” she said. The woman said that due to the distraction she hadn’t noticed the girl on the crossing. 

Judge Cody convicted the woman and fined her €300 but said he would not impose a disqualification. “Be a bit more careful,” he advised.