Lorry driver fined £700 for damaging 100 yards of central reservation on M2
A lorry driver failed to remain or report a crash after colliding with and causing damage to 100 yards of safety barrier at a motorway which cost '£21,000' to repair.
David West, 58, of Aughakillymaude Road near Derrylin in Co Fermanagh, pleaded guilty to charges of driving without due care and attention and failing to stop, remain and report an accident which happened around 8am on November 22 last year at Rathbeg on the M2 near Antrim town.
A prosecutor told Antrim Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ballymena, police were called to the northbound section and saw “approximately 100 yards of Armco barrier had been damaged and was lying on the ground”.
A member of public gave a description of a lorry and at around 11am police saw a vehicle matching the description near Antrim and noticed it had “significant damage”.
Police stopped the vehicle and the defendant admitted he had collided with the barrier and said after stopping to inspect the damage to the lorry he had moved off “to prevent any distraction to other motorists by being stopped on the hard shoulder”.
The prosecutor said the defendant said he wasn't aware he was required to report the matter.
He told police he had swerved to avoid a vehicle which “pulled out in front of him” and his lorry had then collided with the central reservation.
The court was told the repair bill for the barrier was “£21,000”.
The defendant, who had no previous convictions, was not present in court but a defence barrister said his client had been driving for a long time and had never been involved in an accident.
The lawyer said the defendant had been “fully insured”.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said a motorway barrier is “important for obvious reasons”.
The defendant was given nine penalty points and was fined £700.