A FOUR MONTH driving ban has been imposed on a Speyside pensioner who fell asleep at the wheel and caused his car to crash into a Land Rover on the Rothes to Craigellachie road.
Alexander McAdam, 83, was appearing at Elgin Sheriff Court this week for sentencing after earlier admitting driving carelessly on the A941 in May.
Concern was raised by Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov over McAdam’s abilities to drive after undertaking arduous tasks – but noted he had passed medical tests “with ease” and so was able to self-regulate himself.
Earlier the court had learned that McAdam, from Dufftown, had been driving home from a fiddling event in Forres when his veered onto the wrong side of the road near Bulwark Cottage in Rothes.
Oncoming cars were forced to take evasive action – the first swerved and collided with a grass verge, but the Land Rover following behind crashed into McAdam’s vehicle and overturned, its driver suffering back injuries.
On hearing that the DVLA were of the opinion that McAdam was “medically safe to drive” after passing the medical examination, Sheriff Pasportnikov banned him from the roads for 16 weeks and imposed a fine of £400.