A DRIVER blinded by the sun caused a head-on collision in Dunfermline as he struggled to pick up his sunglasses.

Scott McKenzie veered onto the wrong side of the road and struck a car which then collided with another vehicle.

McKenzie, 45, of St Kilda Crescent, Kirkcaldy, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on May 4 in Sandpiper Drive, Dunfermline, he drove a car carelessly by failing to keep a proper lookout, travelled on to the opposing carriageway in front of oncoming traffic, collided with an oncoming vehicle and caused that car to travel backwards into another vehicle, causing extensive damage to it.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the incident occurred at 5.50pm on a Thursday evening.

A HGV lorry was parked on a bend in the road in Sandpiper Drive. “The road is very wide at that part of it and drivers did not have to encroach on to the other carriageway to pass it,” said the depute.

However, as a female driver went past the lorry she became aware of a black Peugeot being driven by McKenzie coming on to her side of the road.

She “braked as hard as she could” but was struck in a head-on collision and her vehicle was pushed back, striking a Ford Focus travelling behind her.

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries caused.

McKenzie told police the sun was in his eyes, he looked over to his passenger seat to pick up his sunglasses and the collision occurred.
Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said her client had held his licence for just over a year at the time of the accident.

“There was a low sun and he made an effort to pick up his sunglasses. It was a momentary lapse of concentration, perhaps contributed to by lack of experience.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair told McKenzie: “Driving onto the wrong side of the road because you’re not looking is a very careless example. You can stop if you can’t find your glasses without drifting onto the wrong side of the road.”
Sheriff MacNair fined McKenzie £335 and imposed six penalty points on his licence.