“THE BRIDGE COULD HAVE COLLAPSED”: HGV DRIVER DECIDED NOT TO BRAKE BEFORE CRASH

A lorry driver spotted a height warning sign but instead of braking he ploughed on into a bridge in Dunfermline.

The actions of 41-year-old Darren Smith mystified a sheriff but he managed to avoid a driving ban.

Smith, from Dundee, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on 7th January in Elgin Street, Dunfermline, he drove a lorry carelessly, by failing to observe a height limit warning sign before a railway bridge, collided with it, whereby the bridge and lorry were damaged and the road was blocked.

Defence solicitor Amy Harley said her client had lost his job as a result of the incident but was now employed as a lorry driver with another firm.

His version of events was that he found himself in the wrong lane and had to turn left down Elgin Street.

She went on, “He couldn’t see any signage until it was too late. He didn’t want to slam on the brakes and he can’t say much more about it than that. He thinks the sign was obstructed by foliage.”

Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon commented, “I can’t understand why he decided to keep going rather than stopping. This could have caused the bridge to collapse.”

Ms Harley said, “He didn’t want to injure those behind him. It was clearly the wrong decision.

“At the time he thought he was doing the right thing. His position is that the sign was close to the bridge and obstructed.”

The sheriff told Smith, “I’ve concerns about you saying that rather than braking you decided to go on.”

However, he decided against a ban. Instead, he endorsed Smith’s licence with nine penalty points and fined him £420.