'Idiot' Seat Ibiza driver disqualified for smashing into back of lorry
Dangerous driver claimed he crashed because he was "in a rush"
THE DRIVER of a Seat Ibiza supermini has been disqualified for a reckless overtaking move that caused a crash on a busy road in the East Midlands.
Scott Lowe, 30, attempted to overtake a queue of vehicles on a stretch of A54 between Buxton, Derbyshire and Congleton, Cheshire, on May 14 this year.
As the dash cam footage released by the East Midlands Police shows, Lowe then tried to cut back into the left-hand lane when he spotted a lorry approaching in the opposite direction. In his attempt to avoid a collision with the oncoming vehicle, Lowe drove into the back of a different lorry at the head of the queue he was trying to pass.
No one was injured in the crash, according to the police report, though the video footage shows the Seat suffered considerable damage in the shunt. The impact had enough force to crumple the front nearside wheel arch and dislodge the front bumper.
According to PC Kev Harrell, the first officer to arrive at the scene of the crash, Lowe confessed he had “been an idiot”. He’s also said to have told officers the crash was caused because he was “in a rush”, and felt there was enough time and space for him to make the manoeuvre.
Lowe didn’t try to evade punishment when tried at North Derbyshire Magistrates Court on July 19, pleading guilty to the count of dangerous driving.
He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and will need to pass an extended driving test again before he’s allowed back on the road. Lowe will also need to perform 240 hours of community service and has to pay two £85 fines for court costs and victim surcharges.
PC Harrell said: “It is only through good fortune that nobody was seriously injured, or even killed, as a result of Scott Lowe’s actions. Lowe took a huge gamble with his own life and the lives of the other road users that morning — all because he was in a rush.”
He added: “Any road can be fatal, however the A54 has a reputation of being a dangerous route. If people did not drive in a manner similar to that of Scott Lowe then I have no doubt that reputation would diminish.”
In 2013, the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) listed the route between Congleton and Buxton as one of the UK’s 10 most dangerous roads. While more recent statistics aren’t available, the route no longer holds that dubious distinction, though the A54 is still described by the RSF as a “medium-high risk” in its latest road safety ratings report.
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