Hemachandra v. Ayoob and Another – sllr 1987 volume 1 page 309

In Hemachandra v. Ayoob and Another, the court addressed whether a breach of road rules by a motorist entering from a side road onto a main road amounted to actionable negligence, and if the plaintiff-motorcyclist’s own conduct constituted contributory negligence. The court held that the defendant, failing to exercise proper caution when crossing onto Galle Road, breached the requisite duty of care, and was therefore liable for damages. This decision reaffirmed the principle that motorists entering main roads must yield to oncoming traffic and exercise heightened caution, with reference to precedents such as Martindale v. Wolfaardt and Dunn v. Macpherson. The appellate decision reversed the District Court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s case and awarded compensation, emphasizing the paramou