A driver was killed and another seriously injured in a head-on crash on the north-east’s busiest road yesterday.
Both vehicles involved in the smash on the A90 were destroyed and debris was left strewn over the carriageway.
A 66-year-old man who had been heading north towards Peterhead in a blue Peugeot 508 died at the scene.
The driver of a black BMW X1 which had been travelling south towards Aberdeen was airlifted to hospital.
He was in a critical condition in hospital last night.
The accident happened south of Boddam, near Stirlinghill Quarry.
The road was closed and remained shut for much of yesterday to allow a full investigation to be carried out.
It eventually reopened around 1.45pm.
Drivers faced a detour along unclassified country roads via Gask to and from Peterhead.
The road closed at Longhaven to the south and the Buchan Gateway roundabout to the north.
Heavy goods vehicles were diverted at the Toll of Birness along the A952 via Mintlaw.
Inspector Ewan Innes, of the roads policing department, said: “We were called to reports of a two-vehicle collision on the A90 south of Boddam at around 6.50am.
“Sadly, as a result of the accident, one male driver has been killed and his next-of-kin have been informed.
“We will now be carrying out a full collision investigation at the scene, however inquiries are at a very early stage and I cannot comment further on a potential cause.
“There were a number of witnesses to the collision and we will be contacted them over the coming days.”
Officers spent much of the day trying to piece-together what had happened while fire crews removed the dead man’s body from his car.
Nearby Boddam School was closed until 10am.
However, a spokeswoman said that it was to allow pupils and staff time to get to school using the diversions and not because of any connection between the school and the victims.
One resident who lives close to the scene said she often had difficulty exiting her driveway on to the busy commuter route, which has a 60mph limit on the stretch where the smash happened.”
She said: “I was round the back when I heard an almighty thud and when I came to the front cars were turning around in my driveway.
“I couldn’t see anything else until the police turned up and started putting up signs.
“It’s awful that someone has died but this bit of road is so bad it was only a matter of time.
“Sometimes they will overtake me as I am trying to get out of the driveway even if something is coming the other way.
“There’s no way it should be a 60mph limit along here.”
On Monday, a council worker was airlifted to hospital with a serious head injury after a collision between his van and a car on the A952 Toll of Birness-Mintlaw road near New Leeds.
Despite his vehicle being left mangled at the roadside the driver of a black Jaguar X-Type Estate also involved in the accident walked away with only minor injuries.
In June last year, a woman died after being hit by a lorry close the scene of yesterday’s crash.
The 49-year-old was struck by a blue Renault Premium truck owned by local firm ASCO after getting off a bus at Stirling Village. She died in hospital the next day.
Last night, Toll of Birness resident Jeanette Baxendale said traffic calming measures were needed to end the carnage on the A90.
She said: “I live just where the road was blocked off and I heard all the sirens racing past this morning.
“Something needs to be done here. I always seem to be out administering first aid for victims of crashes, or making coffee and teas for police and paramedics.”
The mother-of-two added: “Too many people are dying on this road and nothing is being done to stop this.”
Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed yesterday’s crash or who saw the two vehicles on the A90 to contact them on 101.