A farmer crashed his car on the A90 when he fell asleep at the wheel – just an hour after stopping for lunch.
David Russell had been making the long drive back up to Insch from Carlisle when he “momentarily” dozed off.
As he drifted off, the 66-year-old’s blue Renault Clio began to move into the left-hand lane, waking him with a jolt, but he overcorrected and slammed into the central reservation barrier.
The incident happened on the A90 Laurencekirk to Stonehaven road near Hillhead of Glasslaw at around 2pm on January 5 last year.
‘Didn’t have tea or coffee or a caffeinated drink’
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court police were on patrol when they spotted Russell’s vehicle within the central reservation with “extensive damage” to its front bumper.
Ms Thompson said: “The accused immediately stated he had fallen asleep driving northbound, causing him to drive into the central reservation and crash barrier.”
He was cautioned and arrested.
Russell, of Nether Lenchie, Insch, pled guilty to a charge of careless driving.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said the farmer lives on his farm, which is “relatively remote”, and needed his driving license to “survive”.
He said: “In the days prior to this incident, he’d been in England visiting his sister near Carlisle.
‘Great shock’
“On January 5, he was driving home to Insch from that location – a relatively lengthy journey.
“He stopped for lunch at 1pm but didn’t have tea or coffee or a caffeinated drink.
“Unfortunately, it seems he did momentarily fall asleep at the wheel.
“That caused the vehicle initially to drift into the left-hand lane and he overcorrected and the vehicle then struck the central reservation barrier.”
Mr Woodward-Nutt said Russell had been driving for nearly 50 years without incident, and that the crash had been a “great shock” to him.
He added: “He does require a licence to survive basically because of his location and driving a tractor in the course of his employment.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin handed Russell six penalty points and a £640 fine.
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