A disorientated American tourist crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle while he was driving on the wrong side of the road.
University professor Edward Lane appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted driving without due care and attention on the B9119 Aberdeen to Tarland road.
The court heard the accident happened on Saturday afternoon during “horrendous” weather conditions as the 55-year-old was driving around the countryside with his wife.
Fiscal depute Lynzi Souter said Lane had been in Scotland for a holiday and had been using a satnav system to negotiate his way around.
She said he became aware he had missed his turning and, as he became more disorientated, ended up on the wrong side of the road.
Mrs Souter said visibility at the time was very poor as there was “torrential rain” and thick fog.
An oncoming motorist who was slowly negotiating a right-hand bend noticed the lights on Lane’s car and tried to swerve to avoid hitting him.
However, as more traffic was coming up alongside them it was impossible to avoid the crash.
Mrs Souter said Lane got out of the car to apologise and took full responsibility for the accident which resulted in both cars being written off.
Representing Lane, a business lecturer at the University of North Carolina, solicitor Charles Benzies said his client was extremely sorry about what happened.
He said Lane had been here on holiday, and possibly to work a little too, and had been travelling the area with his wife when he got lost.
He said he fully accepted that his concentration lapsed for a short while which resulted in the accident.
Sheriff Annella Cowan admonished Lane, of 5004 Parkmore Drive, North Carolina, for the incident and said she understood that driving on the wrong side of the road could be extremely confusing.
She endorsed his drivers licence with three penalty points.