30 miles on wrong side of road for A9 trucker
A TRUCKER drove down the wrong side of one of the country’s most dangerous roads for 30 miles, hitting one car and forcing others to swerve out of his way.
John McCormack carried on driving the damaged articulated lorry on single and dual carriageway sections of the A9 until police managed to stop him.
A court was told yesterday that the 46-year-old could not explain why he drove on the wrong side of the road between Blair Atholl and Perth on April 11 last year.
The incident occurred at around 9am on a Saturday morning as McCormack pulled a 40ft trailer.
Fiscal depute Stuart richardson told Perth Sheriff Court that motorists heading north near the House of Bruar shopping complex saw the truck heading straight for them.
He said: ‘To their horror they saw the lorry coming south. He was on the wrong side of the road. They managed to get off the road onto the verge. The lorry missed them, but unfortunately it con-
‘The impact was forcible’
tinued on and a couple with three children in their car weren’t so lucky. He hit the offside of their car and scraped along it.
‘One might have hoped that would bring this to an end. The impact was forcible.
‘Police managed to pull over the lorry further down the A9. This had been going on for quite a few miles.’
McCormack, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, admitted driving dangerously on the wrong side of the road last year.
He also admitted failing to stop after an accident and driving a vehicle which posed a danger because of the state it was in. However, a charge relating to cannabis was dropped by the Crown.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said medical investigations had taken place and McCormack had decided to give up driving in the wake of the incident.
Sheriff Fiona Tait deferred sentence for clarification of the medical condition and imposed an interim driving ban.
Speaking outside his home last night, McCormack insisted he had no recollection of the inci- dent. He said: ‘ The last thing I remember is the sun hitting my eyes as I was driving then I’m just going by what I’ve been told.
‘I slept for two hours before leaving Inverness so I didn’t doze off and people who zone out when they are driving usually remember something about it. I have no memory of it.’
McCormack dismissed any suggestion that he drove deliberately on the wrong side of the road.
‘You would have to be soft in the head to drive for 30 miles on the wrong side into oncoming traffic,’ he added.
‘I know the sheriff is looking for answers but so am I.’
The stretch of the A9 where the incident occurred is a particular accident blackspot.
Average speed cameras were introduced between Perth and Inverness in October 2014 in an effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities.
However, in October last year the Scottish Government admitted that the number of fatal accidents had increased by a third since the cameras were introduced.
Figures show that there were five fatal collisions in the nine months of cameras being in place, compared with a three-year average of 3.75.