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'Wrong way' sat-nav crash driver banned
8:31am Wednesday 25th June 2008

By Staff Reporter »

A MOTORIST from Farnworth who crashed into an oncoming car after being distracted by his sat-nav system was banned for dangerous driving yesterday.

Magistrates at Llandudno in North Wales heard that 29-year-old Simon W's Land Rover Freelander crossed on to the wrong side of the road before it crashed into a Citroen Saxo, which was approaching around a bend.

It happened in August last year.

Peter Miller had just left the A55 dual carriageway at Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, and was doing 20mph in the Citroen when he was confronted by the Land Rover.

Prosecutor Julie Hughes said he swerved to try and avoid a smash, but a front wheel and wing were damaged and he suffered minor injuries to a wrist and chest in the impact.

W, aged 29, , changed his plea and admitted dangerous driving.

He was fined £250 and ordered to pay £150 costs and the £15 victim's surcharge.

He was also banned for a year and must take an extended re-test.

Miss Hughes said: "He hadn't really been paying so much attention to his driving as to the sat-nav system that was inside his vehicle.

"He accepted he had been looking at this when he then looked from it and saw Mr Miller's vehicle in front of him."

Defence solicitor, James Bagby, said W was in unfamiliar surroundings.

He said: "He wasn't speeding and had insurance. Police had offered to deal with the matter through a drivers' improvement course instead of court action.

"But then his mother was taken ill and he was unable to pay for the course within the required period.

"He was summonsed for careless driving, but then the Crown Prosecution Service had accused him of the more serious offence of dangerous driving."

Court chairman, John Davies, told W: "It was a lack of concentration. You were looking at your satellite navigation and going down the slip road the wrong way on to a dual carriageway.

"The consequences could have been catastrophic."

He said: "He wasn't speeding and had insurance. Police had offered to deal with the matter through a drivers' improvement course instead of court action.