A DRIVER who collided with an oncoming car after overtaking a van on the Kesh road has been fined and given penalty points.
John Reynolds (45) of Tummery Road, Dromore had been charged with dangerous driving but had this reduced to careless driving at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday.
Reynolds had been driving in a Vauxhall Astra along the Kesh Road, in the direction of Irvinestown at approximately 7.15am on November 16 last year when he pulled out from behind a slow-moving van in order to overtake it.
Upon overtaking his car collided with the front side of another car that was driving in the direction of Kesh.
The court was told it was still dark at the time of the collision, but road conditions were good.
When he spoke to police Reynolds, who had no previous convictions, said it had been an error of judgement, and explained he was travelling at approximately 45-50mph but hadn’t realised there was a dip in the road.
Defence solicitor Philip McGrade said Reynolds had been driving to work that morning, and daylight was just approaching.
The solicitor said that Reynolds had not legislated for the dip in the road, and when he realised there was a car coming he tried his best to get back on his own side of the road, but was unable to do so in time, which was why his car had collided with the front side of the oncoming car.
No one was injured in the collision, and Mr McGrade said that damage was minimal and had been covered by his client’s insurance company.
Mr McGrade said the father-of-three had taken the incident very seriously, appreciated it could’ve been a lot worse, and was grateful it hadn’t been.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said he was taking into account Reynold’s clear record and early guilty plea.
District Judge Broderick fined the defendant £250 as well as endorsing seven penalty points on his licence, which the judge said was to reflect the fact there had been a collision.
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