Young driver tipped over truck only 12 days after taking off L-plates

A young driver tipped a heavily overloaded truck on to its side on a busy Angus road less than a fortnight after taking off his L-plates.

Engineering student Grant Kemp had landed a summer job when he got behind the wheel of the Ford Transit tipper in June.

However, the 20-year-old, from Greenacres Cottage, Falkirk, came to grief when his unsecured cargo toppled the vehicle as he went round a bend on to the A92 at Muirdrum.

The mishap led to the discovery that the vehicle was more than 40% overweight.

Kemp appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and admitted driving with an excessive and unsecured load on June 22.

He was fined £300 and had three penalty points placed on his licence.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said police received a call just before 9am regarding a road accident at Muirdrum.

When officers arrived they found the Transit on its side in the inside lane of the dual carriageway, with Kemp and a passenger standing by the roadside, unhurt. The court was told the total weight of the truck was 4,980kg, against a legal maximum of 3,500kg – 42% in excess.

Defence solicitor Michael Boyd said: “This is a matter Mr Kemp and his family do not take lightly.

“He is a third year student in mechanical engineering and had managed to get a summer job.

“The court will see from his licence and the date of the offence that he had only been a driver for 12 days, but he was instructed by his employer to drive this truck from one location to another.

“He did not receive any formal training in relation to the maximum weight that should have been placed in the truck, but he recognises that is his responsibility.”

Mr Boyd added: “He is keen to draw a line under this matter and apologises for his actions that day.”

Sheriff Jillian Martin-brown told him the offence carried a maximum fine of £2,500, adding: “I appreciate you hadn’t received any training in regard to the load, but it’s extremely fortunate that no one was injured, either yourself or anyone else.”