A Markinch motorist skidded in front of an ambulance before crashing his car on one of Fife’s busiest roads.
Connor Smith spun out between the Bankhead and Preston roundabouts on the A92 at Glenrothes, leaving both the north and south carriageways covered with debris.
Around 50 metres of the central crash barrier was also damaged.
The 21-year-old was allowed to keep his licence after Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he would be denied a promotion if he lost it.
The crash
Fiscal depute Lee-Anne Hannan told the court that the crash happened in the early hours of the morning during “persistent rainfall”.
She said: “The roads were wet, with various areas of standing water on the carriageway.
“At 1.35am witnesses in a response vehicle from the Scottish Ambulance Service were on the A92 northbound at Bankhead.
“At the roundabout the accused overtook the marked ambulance.
“The car then began to lose control and skid, which was corrected and he continued towards Preston Roundabout.
“The ambulance staff had concerns with regard to the vehicle and the manner in which it passed them.
“The vehicle sped away from the ambulance, which continued on its journey along the A92 in the same direction as the accused.
“Shortly thereafter they saw the car crashed on the carriageway, sitting across the lanes and pointing towards the central reservation barrier.
“The vehicle then reversed and slowly moved over to the slip road between the A92 and Queensway.
“The ambulance activated its blue lights to provide cover and contacted police.
“The police arrived at 2am and saw extensive debris on the north and south bound carriageways, along with damage to a 50m stretch of safety barrier.
“The accused car was on the slip road and had extensive front end damage and was sitting in a large puddle of standing water.”
Ambulance staff checked Smith but he declined to go to hospital.
Points appeal
Solicitor Danielle Stringer asked the court to impose penalty points on Smith rather than ban him from driving as he needs his licence for work.
She said the Kwik Fit supervisor was in line for a manager’s job in Dunfermline but would lose the opportunity.
She said: “He accepts full responsibility for his actions.
“He accepts his behaviour was irresponsible and immature.”
She added Smith already had three points on his licence.
Smith, of Kirk Street, admitted driving carelessly on the A92 on December 1, 2021.
He was originally charged with dangerous driving.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane warned Smith to “drive very carefully for a while” as she imposed eight penalty points, bringing his total to 11.
Drivers with 12 or more points are automatically disqualified from driving under the “totting up” procedure.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
