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Showing posts with the label Statutory InterpretationGolden Rule of InterpretationLee v Knapp (1967)Road Traffic LawUK Case LawLegal TerminologyLiteral vs Golden RuleJudicial ReasoningDuty to Stop After AccidentLegal Meaning

Lee v Knapp (1967)

Lee v Knapp (1967) – A Facts of the Case: Mr. Knapp was test-driving a car around a company premises. During this demonstration, he accidentally collided with another car. Although he did stop the car for a moment after the collision, he didn’t speak to the other party or leave his name, address, or insurance details as required by law. Instead, someone from the company later approached the owner of the damaged car to pass on the details. The key question became: Was that brief stop enough to satisfy the legal requirement under the Road Traffic Act 1960, Section 77(1)? Legal Issue: The law required a driver involved in an accident to “stop” after the incident. But what does “stop” really mean? Literal interpretation : Just halting the vehicle — even briefly — could be enough. Common sense view : Surely, the law must mean that the driver should remain at the scene long enough to exchange necessary information. This conflict gave rise to the legal issue: ...