An Elgin man who was unfamiliar with Aberdeenshire’s roads has been spared a driving ban for causing a crash which left him and two others injured.
Adam Richards, 55, appeared at Banff Sheriff Court on Wednesday where he admitted to driving carelessly on the B9025 Turriff to Aberchirder road on December 6 last year.
The court heard that Richards had been returning home at the time of the incident when he came across a tractor and attempted to overtake it and one other car.
The court was told he tried to carry out the move near a bend and blind summit on the road.
After hearing from his defence agent, Sheriff Robert McDonald endorsed his licence with nine penalty points.
Failed to merge back into his own lane
Fiscal depute Anne Mann told the court the tractor, which had a trailer attached, was travelling at about 25mph at the time of the crash.
“The accused has moved in the opposing carriageway and commenced an overtake manoeuvre,” she said.
“And despite the tractor slowing to allow the accused to bring his vehicle back into the lane, the accused has failed to do so and has collided with the other vehicle.
“Emergency services attended.”
The driver of the other car, a Volkswagen Beetle, reported having pains in her chest. Her passenger had a laceration on his face which required to be glued.
Richards, of North Street in Elgin, also suffered cuts.
‘He has misjudged the situation’
Richards’ defence solicitor, Stuart Beveridge, said his client had provided both photographs and video footage of the road to explain how he fell foul. It included a drive-through of the route that Richards filmed himself.
Mr Beveridge said: “He goes to overtake them and, unfortunately, because he was unaware of the dip, my lord, he doesn’t get enough warning.
“He then has a split-second decision whether to break or go back in. He has misjudged the situation.”
He added Richards was “embarrassed and ashamed” by the conviction and needed his car for work.
Sentencing him, Sheriff McDonald also fined Richards, who was described as being a project manager in his day job, £760.
He said: “It seems to me that this is at the very high end of careless driving and I would have considered disqualifying you outright for this.
“Overtaking in the dark on a road you’re not familiar with – and overtaking two vehicles when you don’t know the road – it’s a very foolish step.”