A windscreen repair van driver who smashed into two 13-year-old girls has been banned from roads thanks to his own dashcam footage.
Scott Whyte, 31, ran a red light and knocked down the two teenagers as they crossed the road in front of a stopped ambulance.
Whyte initially denied the offence but admitted driving dangerously after being shown his own dashcam footage.
It showed him approaching the pedestrian crossing at 30 miles per hour and hitting the girls at 17mph.
Perth Sheriff Court was told one of the girls had been left traumatised by the incident and had suffered flashbacks.
Traumatic accident
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson told the court: “This was on the A85 Perth to Crieff road at Huntingtower.
“The complainers, who were both 13, were walking from the local shops.
“At the pedestrian crossing they activated the lights and waited to cross.
“They began to cross once the lights turned red.
“At this time the accused was approaching the crossing in his Ford Transit van.
“He failed to stop for the red lights and collided with the complainers, knocking them to the ground. He immediately stopped.
“Another driver travelling in the opposite direction was a paramedic.
“The accused volunteered that he had been driving the car and had dashcam footage.
“The footage was viewed and clearly showed the accused failing to stop for the red light.”
“Both complainers were taken to Ninewells Hospital but did not require further treatment.
“The mother of one girl confirmed she has been having flashbacks. She has trouble sleeping and is seeing a psychologist.”
Driver had ‘particularly bad cold’
Whyte, from Perthshire, admitted driving dangerously and striking and injuring two girls, who cannot be named, on the A85 on January 7 last year.
His solicitor told the court: “He is extremely remorseful.
“It was a straight road with a set of traffic lights, and it was very clear and visible the lights were red.
“He has travelled the road hundreds of times and his only explanation is that he was looking into the middle-distance and missed the lights.
“That’s the only explanation he can give.
“You can see the two girls walking in front of the ambulance.
“He slams on his brakes but still collides with them and knocks them over.
“He wishes to pass his apologies to both parties.
“He had a particularly bad cold and was leaving his place of work and travelling home.
“He is a mobile windscreen repair man.
“He did not plead guilty immediately but once he was shown the video and it was explained to him it was dangerous rather than careless driving, he pled guilty.”
Sheriff Francis Gill imposed an interim driving ban and deferred sentence on Whyte for the preparation of social work reports.
