Man, 83, drove wrong way down the A90

Motorists had to take evasive action after Sydney Wallace’s mistake

An elderly motorist drove the wrong way down a busy dual carriageway, forcing other drivers to swerve out of his way.

Sydney Wallace travelled for several miles along the A90 before being brought to a stop by police.

The 83-year-old, who had been attending a wedding, took a wrong turning on to a flyover, ending up on the incorrect side of the road.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said: “It was 7.25pm and James Price was travelling on the A90 near Errol. He moved to the outside lane to overtake a slower moving vehicle.

“After he did so he saw a pair of car headlights travelling towards him in his lane. The vehicle was on the wrong side of the carriageway so he braked and moved to the inside lane to avoid a collision.

“He flashed his head lights and hazard warning lights and sounded his horn as the accused passed but the accused continued driving.”

As a disbelieving Mr Price watched in his rear view mirror, two other vehicles were forced to swerve out of the way of Wallace.

One of those cars was being driven by Sarah Kennedy and Wallace’s car collided with her wing mirror, ripping it off.

Mr Price called the police, who were able to stop Wallace near Glencarse.

Solicitor John McLaughlin, representing Wallace, said the retired farmer had panicked after taking a wrong turning at the flyover.

He said: “He was at a wedding with his wife, who is 86. He doesn’t like driving in the dark so it was anticipated that he would leave at 3 or 4pm. As it was, due to various elements of the wedding, it was 7pm before he left.

“He had not been to this area before. When he reached the flyover he thought he was going in the correct direction. As soon as he saw headlights, he panicked. He thought there would be a gap in the central reservation but there wasn’t.”

Wallace, of Alma Drive, Aberfeldy, admitted to driving dangerously on the A90 Perth to Dundee road, near Errol, by driving on the wrong carriageway into the path of oncoming vehicles causing several to take evasive action to avoid a collision and colliding with a Seat Ibiza being driven by Ms Kennedy on March 19 this year.

He also admitted failing to stop following the collision.

Despite being told that Wallace had voluntarily surrendered his licence, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis disqualified Wallace from driving for two years and until he sits the extended driving test. He also fined him £1,000. klmcintosh@thecourier.co.uk