The first fatal road accident of the year on the A9 has been described as “heartbreaking”.
A man, understood to be Michael McNaughton (23), of Waulkmill Farm, Laurencekirk, died in a head-on crash with a whisky tanker on Tuesday.
He was the son of Alan McNaughton, who is the president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers and site director of McIntosh Donald at Portlethen. He was the sales director with McIntosh Donald before that.
It is understood that Mr McNaughton snr was on a skiing holiday in France with other family members when the accident happened and are flying home.
The McNaughtons are well known in the meat trade. Alan’s father, John, is a former president of the Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association. The family hail from Inverlochlarig at Balquhidder.
Michael was the sole occupant of a blue Renault Clio which was travelling north when it collided with an articulated tanker operated by McPhersons of Aberlour travelling in the opposite direction.
The 44-year-old male lorry driver was uninjured in the crash, which occurred north of the Jubilee Bridge, Dunkeld, at about 8.30pm.
A police spokesman said: “The road was closed for several hours to allow crash investigation and recovery of the vehicles to be carried out.” Police have not officially named the victim.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser, who has consistently pushed for a speeding up of the work to dual the A9 Perth to Inverness route said, “Losing such a young life so soon into the new year is heartbreaking yet also underlines the need for a fully-dualled A9. I would like to urge all drivers to take extra care on the A9 during the bad weather.”