Blackness tractor driver banned for four years after causing crash
A tractor driver has been fined £1500 and banned from the roads for four years after causing a crash in which a woman was badly injured.
Blackness man Darren Braes was later found to have more than the permitted amount of cocaine in his system.
He had just started a shift with a weed control company when the collision happened near Larkhall, Lanarkshire.
The female victim required surgery for fractures to her spine and ankle, Hamilton Sheriff Court heard.
Braes, 32, of Burnshaw Cottages, admitted causing serious injury by driving a tractor carelessly on the A71 on December 5, 2024. He also admitted having more than the permitted level of cocaine in his blood.
The collision happened around 7pm when the tractor's 7.5m long trailer swung on to the wrong side of the road as Braes negotiated a series of bends.
Lewis Devoy, prosecuting, said: "The accused worked for Complete Weed Control in Larkhall. He had started a night shift and was heading to the M8 to work there.
"He had activated amber beams on the tractor and trailer and was driving east towards Garrion Bridge.
"The female driver of an Audi A3 was travelling in the opposite direction towards Larkhall."
Mr Devoy said the speed limit on the road is 50mph and Braes was doing only 35mph at the time of the collision.
However, he failed to maintain control of the trailer which "partially encroached" on to the wrong side of the road, hitting the front of the Audi.
The prosecutor stated: "The car driver saw the tractor coming towards her and pulled into the side of the road as far as she could, but she was restricted in this due to a hedge.
"The accused tried to take evasive action, but the tractor-trailer hit the car, causing it to spin into an area of bushes. A fire started in the engine.
"A driver behind helped the woman get out of her car while the accused contacted the emergency services.
"Firefighters arrived and extinguished the flames.
"The accused was required to provide saliva for analysis and this proved positive for cocaine.
"Further tests showed he had 12 microgrammes of cocaine per litre of blood. The limit is 10mgs.
"The female driver was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.
"She was found to have a fractured bone in her lower spine and a broken right ankle.
"Both of these required surgery and screws were inserted. She was in hospital for nine days."