Woman hurt in crash with careless taxi driver on Fife road

A taxi driver caused a crash which resulted in the driver of the other car being taken to hospital.

Tahir Muzammil smashed into the woman’s vehicle when he tried to overtake her on a country road as she turned right.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard the level of sentencing could have prevented Muzammil from continuing to drive taxis and could also affect his immigration status.

However, as it turned out, the penalty imposed meant he can still work as a taxi driver.

Muzammil, 34, of Pitcairn Street, Dunfermline, admitted that on February 17 on the B981, south of Crossgates, he drove a car carelessly.

He crossed over solid white lines prohibiting overtaking in an attempt to overtake a car which was slowly down to turn right and struck that vehicle, causing damage to it and injury to Lorna Rennie. Depute fiscal Jennifer Graham said the accident took place at 11.50pm.

Ms Rennie was driving home and was turning right to go on to a farm road.

She had slowed down to 20mph to take the turn when Muzammil tried to overtake her, causing the collision.

The fire service and paramedics attended the scene and Ms Rennie was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for treatment.

Defence solicitor Peter Robertson said that when Muzammil saw the car in front of him indicating and slowing down he thought the driver was signalling for him to overtake.

“He is not in the habit of driving in this manner,” the solicitor said.

He said if his client had six penalty points imposed on his licence he would not be able to continue working as a taxi driver.

“It may also affect the immigration process, although it would not result in him being deported or anything like that,” he added.

Sheriff Craig McSherry fined Muzammil £500 and imposed three penalty points on his licence.