No ban for careless driver who caused £20k of damage to lorry

A woman caused GBP20,000 of damage to a lorry she collided with, Wick Sheriff Court heard this week. Bernadette Nightingale (51) pleaded guilty to causing the accident by careless driving, reduced from the more serious count of dangerous driving, and was fined GBP500. She also incurred three penalty points.

The bill for the damage to the HGV was covered by insurance, although there was an excess of GBP18,000, fiscal depute Grant McLennan told the court.

The accident occurred on the A882 at its junction with the Camster Wind Farm road, on January 13. Nightingale, a first offender, of Kirk View, Thurso, attempted to overtake the lorry as it was turning right and collided with it, added Mr McLennan. Solicitor Sylvia Maclennan said the accused, who runs a house-cleaning business, was unsure of where the lorry was going to go.

Sheriff Mark Lindsay KC described the accident as an "innocent mistake" on the part of Nightingale, who had misjudged the lorry driver's intention.

He rated the offence as being at the lower end of the scale of reckless and culpable driving and didn't think it necessary to disqualify the accused.

References

1. ^ View our fact sheet on court reporting here (www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk)