A pensioner who fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a 4×4 has been banned from the roads – for just four months.
Alexander McAdam previously admitted driving carelessly on the A941 Rothes to Craigellachie road on May 3 this year.
The 83-year-old appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court for sentencing yesterday, where he was told he was “lucky” the incident had not had more serious consequences.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov also raised concerns over McAdam’s fitness to drive following arduous tasks, but conceded that he would have to self-regulate his driving after passing medical tests with ease.
The court heard McAdam, of 1 Stephen Avenue, Dufftown, was driving back from a fiddling event in Forres when his car veered off onto the wrong side of the road on a corner near Bulwark Cottage, Rothes.
Two oncoming cars were forced to take evasive action, but the although the first managed to swerve it collided with a grass verge and span 180 degrees.
The other car, a Land Rover, crashed into McAdam and overturned onto its roof. The driver suffered back injuries.
Fiscal depute Kevin Corrins said McAdam told police he had “no recollection” of the incident.
Defence agent Matthew O’Neill said: “A medical has been carried out with Mr McAdam. It had a 40-point system and he achieved a score of 37 out of 40.
“The DVLA are of the opinion he is medically safe to drive.”
Sheriff Pasportnikov banned him for 16 weeks and fined him £400.
Meanwhile, another aged driver, Ernest Roberts, will find his fate next month after appearing in court for a similar incident.
The 90-year-old previously admitted driving with due care and attention, and that he had fallen asleep behind the wheel, lost control and collided with a wall on the B9015 Rothes to Inchberry Road on May 1.
However, sentence on Roberts, of 143 Morriston Road, Elgin, was further deferred for the court to obtain a GP report. His solictor, Stephen Carty told the court he was not “unfit to drive.”
