Amsterdam takes responsibility for fatal scooter crash

The city of Amsterdam has accepted a punishment settlement of 15 thousand euros in connection with a fatal scooter accident at the Veemkade in Amsterdam in May 2013. A woman was seriously injured in the accident and later died of her injuries.

On May 12th, 2013 a scooter carrying a man and a woman crashed into one of the poles that stood on the quay to prevent cars from driving there. The now 41 year old man and his 32 year old wife were taken to the hospital with severe head injuries. The woman died of her injuries two weeks later.

According to the Public Prosecutor, the municipality failed to render the poles visible and to light the quay well. Local residents had repeatedly complained about this to the municipality.

The prosecutor imposed the punishment settlement on the municipality as the municipality acknowledged liability for the accident. The municipality has since made changes on the quay to avoid any more accidents.

According to the prosecution, there is sufficient evidence to sue the municipality for wrongful death and serious injury by negligence. The prosecutor decided to keep the matter out of the court for two reasons. Firstly because a public hearing would be painful for the victim and relatives. Secondly because the municipality would be sued as a legal entity and not a specific person, which would have resulted in the court imposing a fine as punishment in any case.

The Public Prosecutor has notified the deceased woman's family about the settlement.