Young speeders warned

Fine line between no injury and death in accidents - sheriff

A SHERIFF has warned of the fine line between no injury and death, for speeding young drivers involved in accidents..

Sheriff Andrew Berry spoke out while sentencing Damon Mackay for careless driving, at Wick, yesterday..

The 25-year-old and his passengers fortunately escaped unhurt when the car he was diving at excessive speed, left the road at a left-hand bend at Bridge of Westfield in rural Caithness, near Thurso. The vehicle crashed through a fence and came to a halt in a field.

Mackay, of 4 Portormin Road Dunbeath village, pleaded guilty and was ordered to carry out 63 hours unpaid work in the community.

Ross Carvel, prosecuting, said that the accused lost control of his car around 7pm on May 29, last year. and went through the fence on the opposite side of the road before landing in the field.

Sheriff Berry said: "Once again, we are dealing with a young man driving too fast and losing control of his vehicle and leaving the roadway. The difference between an incident such as this, where there is no injury, and death, is the very, very, thinnist of margins."

In addition to the community service, Mackay was banned from driving for three months and will require to resit and pass another driving test as the sheriff put it -"in the public interest and to ensure that those who issue driving licences can be satisfied that you have the sufficient skills to drive."