A teenager who lost control of his car in wet conditions while overtaking on the A9 has been fined more than £500.
Gordon Stronach was trying to escape the spray from the vehicle in front but as he completed the manoeuvre he lost control of his Fiat before “spinning out” and hitting a tree.
The 18-year-old appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of careless driving in relation to the incident on May 10 last year.
The charge detailed that Stronach failed to adjust his driving to the weather and road conditions and overtook other road users when it was unsafe.
Fiscal depute Shamielah Ghafar told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank that the road conditions were wet but visibility good on the day in question.
Ms Ghafar said it was around 5pm when a witness became aware of Stronach’s black Fiat, noting that it was overtaking a vehicle in the inside lane.
She said: “The witness observed the accused’s vehicle complete its overtake before losing control, causing the rear end of his car to spin out before colliding with a tree at the side of the road.”
The car eventually came to rest ” in the middle of the carriageway” – no other vehicles were involved.
New driver ‘always accepted he was at fault’
A witness stopped to help Stronach, who was uninjured, and emergency services were called to the scene.
When police arrived, Stronach identified himself as the driver.
Stronach’s solicitor Rory Gowans told the court his client was a new driver and had “always accepted he was at fault here,” adding that Stronach intended to take an advanced driving course going forward.
He said the teenager had been attempting to escape the spray from the vehicle in front when he decided to overtake.
He added: “A seasoned driver might not have decided to do that. Mr Stronach’s error of judgement has led to this incident.”
Mr Gowans said the incident was “something he regrets and something he has learned from”.
He told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank that the young man stood to lose his job if he was disqualified from driving.
The sheriff instead handed down a fine of £520 and endorsed Stronach’s licence with four penalty points.