An Angus mum screamed with horror as a driver narrowly avoided hitting a lollipop lady and a young child at a busy school crossing.
The mother ran out on to Millgate Loan in Arbroath to grab her child as Michaela Horackova ignored the patrolwoman’s desperate pleas to stop.
A court heard Horackova was seen to calmly drop her own children off after the near miss, apparently blissfully unaware of the chaos left in her wake.
Following the case a road safety charity implored school run parents to guard against lapses of concentration that could have “deadly consequences.”
Forfar Sheriff Court heard the incident was reported to the school, and officials then raised the matter with authorities on January 26.
The 43-year-old accused, of Russell Square, Arbroath, was handed four penalty points and a fine.
Depute Fiscal Kirsten Thomson told the court: “The locus is Millgate Loan, at the junction of Mount Zion Brae.
“At 8.50am on the 26th of January the area was heavily populated by school children and cars.
“Road conditions were poor and it was raining heavily.
“The crossing patrol officer was wearing her high-visibility uniform.
“A parent was standing by the road with her child.
“The patroller noted that the road was clear and then stood in the middle of the road and ushered the child across.
“She observed the accused’s blue car travelling south towards her.”
The patroller thought the accused was a “comfortable distance away” and thought nothing of the approaching car.
“She assumed the car would stop but soon became aware that it was not,” she said.
“The parent of the child screamed and ran on to the road to get the child.
“The accused then pulled into a layby directly behind the crossing patroller.”
The lollipop lady then went to comfort the parent and child, while the accused continued to get her children out of her vehicle.
First offender Horackova admitted a charge of careless driving under section 3 of the Road traffic Act 1988, failing to stop at the signal of a school crossing patroller in the middle of the road.
Defence agent Ian Flynn said: “She genuinely didn’t see the patroller, pulled into the layby and got her children out.
“No one raised it with her at the time.
“It all went through the school system.
“It’s been a momentary lapse, there’s no indication of speeding.”
Fining her £180 and imposing four penalty points, Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told Harackova: “You’ve no previous convictions
“I note there’s no suggestion that there was any speeding.
“This was a momentary lapse at a quite crucial location, where it could have had serious consequences.”
Jack Kushner, spokesman for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Every child has the right to walk to school without fear of being knocked down by fast traffic, and it is extremely disappointing to see a driver putting vulnerable road users at risk.
“School crossing patrols ensure that children can cross roads near their school safely and without fear of traffic, and it is vital that drivers respect this service.
“Four children are seriously hurt or killed by vehicles in the UK every day.
“Unsurprisingly, fewer than half of children in the UK walk to school.
“Drivers need to give the road their full attention at all times; even a momentary lapse in concentration can have deadly consequences.
“Brake asks all drivers to behave responsibly and cut their speed, particularly around schools, homes and shops.”
