A drunk driver slammed his car into the back of a van on one of Tayside’s busiest roads before it ricocheted over the central crash barrier and burst into flames on the opposite carriageway.
Arran Haddow was travelling from his home near Dunfermline to his workplace at Dundee docks when the incident happened on August 24 this year.
Just minutes before the collision he was seen driving at excessive speed and weaving erratically across the eastbound A90.
The incident closed the westbound carriageway just before the start of the morning rush hour.
Footage of the fire is in the video above this article.
Yesterday at Perth Sheriff Court the 25-year-old was told his driving could have been “catastrophic” had there been traffic on the other carriageway.
Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney told the court: “At about 6am witness Miller was driving his vehicle in the A90 towards Dundee when he observed the accused’s vehicle behind him in his mirror.
“He saw the vehicle was travelling quickly and was swerving across the lanes. It overtook him at speed and was lost to sight.
“Witness McAuley was driving his Ford van in lane one when the accused’s vehicle struck him from behind. This caused his van to shunt forward.
“He then saw the accused’s vehicle skid across lane two and move over the central reservation. It mounted the barrier and came down on the opposite side of the dual carriageway. The accused got out of his vehicle before it caught fire.”
Haddow failed a roadside breath test and was subsequently found to have no insurance.
Solicitor Steve Lafferty, defending, said Haddow had been drinking with friends the night before.
He added: “He was travelling from Dunfermline to Dundee docks, where he was working. He knew he had no insurance as it had lapsed a couple of weeks before.
“He does have certain difficulties with alcohol but he doesn’t drink to excess.”
Haddow, of Lindsays Wynd, Oakley in Fife, admitted driving dangerously on the A90 near Longforgan on August 24.
He further admitted having a breath alcohol reading of 44mics, twice the 22mics legal limit, and to having no insurance.
Sheriff William Wood blasted Haddow, telling him: “If there had been oncoming traffic when you mounted the central reservation and entered the other carriageway then the consequences could have been catastrophic for someone.”
He banned him from the road for 30 months and ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
He also placed him on a 12-month supervision order and ordered him to sit the extended driving test to reclaim his licence.
