A TWO-CAR crash on an Aberdeenshire commuter route that claimed the life of a 42-year-old motorist has sparked fresh calls for safety improvements.
And last night a woman who helped in the aftermath of the collision spoke out.
Fraserburgh man Peter McKenzie was killed in the head-on smash on the A90 at Lonmay, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
The collision happened just after 6pm on Tuesday.
Mr McKenzie was driving south in a silver Mercedes when it was involved in a collision with a northbound blue Peugeot 307. Firefighters used cutting gear to free Mr McKenzie from his vehicle but he died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics.
The 51-year-old driver of the Peugeot was also badly injured and taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Last night, Lonmay resident Kathleen Carle said she had gone to the Peugeot driver’s aid after seeing the crash outside her home.
“I heard a huge bang and looked outside the kitchen window,” she said. “I just went straight out to see what I could do to help.”
Mrs Carle, 66, said she sat with the injured motorist on the roadside.
“I held on to his hand,” she said. “I was trying to keep him awake. I was worried he was going to pass out before the ambulance arrived.
“The other driver was still in his vehicle. He had to be cut free.
“I could see he was in a very bad way and I knew that he wasn’t going to make it.”
Tuesday night’s crash has led to new calls for safety measures on that stretch of the A90.
The accident happened just yards from the scene of a collision in which a 40-tonne lorry fell on to its side and ploughed into the living room of a roadside house.
Mrs Carle said: “There’s nothing wrong with the road itself but we badly need some new speed restrictions.
“You see people flying past at great speeds or driving in the middle of the road. Something needs to be done.”
Fraserburgh councillor Charles Buchan said last night: “I have already spoken to residents in Lonmay about getting some kind of improvements.
“I wrote to Bear Scotland after the lorry crash in June. They have passed the matter on to Transport Scotland, which is now looking into it.
“At the very least, they should be able to put up warning signs. But I know that residents are looking for a review of the speed limit.”
He said he hoped to arrange a meeting between villagers and officials from government agency Transport Scotland.
“This latest accident shows that this needs to be done sooner rather than later,” he said. “My thoughts are with the friends and family of the driver at this very sad time.”
Mr McKenzie’s family, who live in King Edward Street, Fraserburgh, declined to comment last night.
Sergeant David Pirie said: “The investigation into the circumstances of the collision is at an early stage and I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw either of the cars before the incident, to get in touch.”
The stretch of road was closed off throughout the night while investigators tried to determine what had gone wrong.
Witnesses have been urged to call police.