An 88-year-old driver who knocked down a pedestrian after failing to stop for a red light has been allowed to keep her licence.
Nina Obozina had her pelvis fractured and was hospitalised after Dorothy Strachan drove into her on Aberdeen’s King Street on June 20.
Yesterday, the pensioner appeared at the city’s sheriff court to be sentenced for driving without due care and attention, having admitted the charge.
The court heard the former district nurse was driving along the busy road at 12.06pm when Ms Obozina pressed the button at a pedestrian crossing.
The lights turned red, a bus travelling northwards halted in the bus lane. A police car travelling in the opposite direction also stopped.
Fiscal depute Lorna McLafferty said Ms Obozina stepped on to the road, within the pedestrian area, and started to cross.
Seconds later, just as she walked past the bus, Strachan drove through the red light and struck Ms Obozina, knocking her to the ground.
The incident was recorded on the police car’s CCTV cameras.
Graeme Morrison, for Strachan, said his client was unable to see the lights because the bus was obstructing her view.
He said she thought the bus had pulled over at a bus stop and did not realise there was a pedestrian crossing there.
Mr Morrison added that his client was going extremely slowly at the time as she thought there may have been people leaving the bus to cross the road.
The court heard that Strachan, of Gatehouse Cottage, Udny, near Ellon, had held her “unblemished” driver’s licence for 65 years. Mr Morrison said that since the incident she had been checked by a doctor and an advanced driving instructor.
Both said they could not find any reason why she should face disqualification.
Sheriff William Summers said her carelessness had caused serious injury. He accepted her actions were a “momentary lapse” in concentration.
He fined Strachan £400 and said six penalty points should go on her licence.