An Inverness lorry driver died in a crash after falling asleep at the wheel, a Sheriff has ruled.
A fatal accident inquiry last month heard that Alex Fraser was driving south on the A9 Inverness-Perth road, near Kingussie, when his lorry veered into the opposite carriageway and collided with an oncoming Argos lorry.
Yesterday, Sheriff Margaret Neilson released her findings after the inquiry into Mr Fraser’s death on March 19 last year.
The inquiry heard from various witnesses who saw his vehicle drift over the white lines.
It also emerged that Mr Fraser was finding it difficult to sleep during the day prior to the accident because of building work going on in fields beside his house.
And concerns had been raised by his employer, Highland Staff Solutions Limited (HSS), that he was taking extra breaks without recording them.
However Sheriff Neilson said she was satisfied the company did not tell Mr Fraser not to take breaks if he felt tired.
The report stated: “On the basis of the evidence before me and in the absence of any other positive evidence to suggest an alternative reason for inattention or distraction, it seems to me that the inevitable conclusion is that on the balance of probabilities,
“Mr Fraser fell asleep at the wheel causing his lorry to cross onto the opposing carriageway and collide with the Argos lorry being driven by James Kenmure.”
Sheriff Neilson also stated that there were “no defects in any system of working” which contributed to Mr Fraser’s death and there were “no other facts which are relevant to the circumstances” of his death.
Mr Fraser was an experienced HGV driver and had travelled down to Glasgow the night before he died, and was returning the following morning.