A sheriff told a woman who drove the wrong way on the A9 that it was “very lucky” her actions did not result in one or more fatalities.
At Perth Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Hazel Donaldson, 36, of Paterson Road, Aviemore, claimed she had been dazzled by the “full beam” headlights of a van prior to her driving southbound on a dual carriageway while facing oncoming northbound traffic.
The single parent, representing herself, told the court she “couldn’t see” where she was going after this and found she was then on the wrong dual carriageway.
Depute fiscal Chris McIntosh told the court that Donaldson was seen travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway around 6.20pm.
“Cars travelling north came across the accused on the wrong side of the road in her Vauxhall Astra when she was going south on the A9,” he said.
“Witnesses in a car saw her heading straight towards them and they had to swerve into the central reservation and hit the central reservation barrier.”
The court heard Donaldson turned back and stopped beside this vehicle.
“Police were called and when they spoke to her she claimed she was unaware she was going the wrong way until she saw headlights,” Mr McIntosh said.
Donaldson admitted that on January 24, on the A9 Inverness to Perth road near its junction with the A827 Ballinluig to Killin road, she drove without due care and attention by travelling southbound on a northbound carriageway, causing other road users to take evasive action to avoid collision.
Sentencing Donaldson, Sheriff John Halley told her it was “very lucky” there was not one or more fatalities.
Donaldson was fined £300 and given nine penalty points on her licence.