A man who crashed a car transporter into a police car, causing it to fly through the air and strike and seriously injure a traffic officer, has avoided a driving ban.
The police officer was airlifted to hospital following the collision, which saw the car knocked off the road and into a ditch at the A92 dual carriageway between Cowdenbeath and Crossgates in February 2020.
The police 4X4 had been slowing traffic following an earlier incident on the Fife road and had its blue lights activated.
It had been stationary and helping another vehicle driver when it was hit.
Another officer had been standing in the road diverting traffic into outer lanes.
The transporter driver, Alan Robinson, claimed during a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court the position of the sun may have been a factor in why he only saw the police officer at the “last minute.”
He said he tried to take action to avoid the collision but it was too late.
Nine seconds to react
Robinson, of Myreside Crescent in Glasgow, appeared in the dock for sentencing after being convicted by a jury of careless driving, having denied an allegation of dangerous driving.
Robinson’s defence lawyer said his client was “extremely remorseful” about the incident.
He said if his licence was endorsed with the maximum number of penalty points, rather than a ban, his employer would allow him to keep driving.
The court heard he had no previous convictions and had held his position as a lorry driver for about 20 years.
Sheriff Susan Duff told Robinson: “You had nine seconds (from when the police car came into view) to respond and failed to react in sufficient time to avoid a collision.
“I consider this to be the high end of the scale of careless driving.
“You are a professional driver and, but for this, have never had an incident while driving.
“I consider the appropriate penalty is nine penalty points and a fine of £500.”
The charges
Robinson was convicted of causing serious injury to a police constable by driving a lorry carelessly on the A92 and failing to observe and react to a stationary police car parked on the roadway with its emergency lights activated.
He also failed to react to another officer standing on the roadway directing him to move into another lane.
He collided with the police car, which was propelled into the air and down a verge.
The vehicle struck a police officer causing serious injury and also two females, standing on the grass verge, who were injured.
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