A driver was caught by police travelling at speeds of between 95 and 100mph on the M90 in Fife in freezing and wet conditions.
Robert-Florian Mihai pled guilty to driving dangerously at grossly excessive speeds for the road conditions on the off-slip at junction 2A, Halbeath Interchange, on December 29 last year.
The 30-year-old appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to admit the charge and was assisted by a Romanian interpreter during proceedings.
Wintry conditions
Prosecutor Laura McManus told the court the weather conditions at the time, around 9.35am, were “extremely hazardous” due to wintry showers and risk of ice on the road.
She said a hazard warning was in place and snow and sleet were falling.
The road was extremely wet with surface water forming on various sections, resulting in spray coming from vehicles and reduced visibility.
The fiscal depute said the temperature at the time was 0c.
Police in an unmarked vehicle were driving northbound on the motorway and saw Mihai’s car travelling at excessive speed in the fast lane and caught up with it, maintaining a steady gap.
Ms McManus continued: “Police witnesses saw the police vehicle was travelling at between 95 and 100mph for approximately 0.3 miles.
“This means that the vehicle (driven by Mihai) was also being driven at those speeds.”
Mihai was stopped in a lay-by on the A92 and acknowledged he had been driving at speed.
Powerful car ‘got away from’ accused
Mihai’s defence lawyer said his client’s explanation was the car was “far more powerful” than he was used to and, in effect, it “got away” from him.
He acknowledged: “He was travelling at grossly excessive speed for the conditions”.
The court heard Mihai, of Montford Avenue in Glasgow and formerly of Dee Street, Aberdeen, already has three points on his licence for speeding.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland told him: “It’s clear you were indeed driving dangerously and are fortunate, particularly in these weather conditions, that this did not lead to a serious accident”.
Sheriff Sutherland banned Mihai from driving for 20 months and fined him £350.
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