Driver of road sweeping lorry given five-year ban for causing deaths of couple

Lorry Driver Who Caused Deaths of Couple Given Five-Year Ban

The driver of a road sweeping lorry has been handed a five-year ban for causing the deaths of a couple in a tragic crash in Bellshill. Mohammed Rashid and his wife, Shamim, lost their lives after David Scott failed to brake in time and crashed into the back of their car. The couple’s BMW 1 series was pushed forward, colliding with another vehicle. Shamim, aged 66, passed away from severe head and neck injuries a day after the incident on the A725 Bellshill bypass on August 30, 2022.

Mohammed, aged 70, sustained serious internal injuries and sadly succumbed to them in hospital two weeks later. The couple, residents of Bellshill and parents to three children, faced this tragic accident. David Scott, 33, from Innerleithen Drive, Coltness, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. The heartbreaking incident occurred on the busy dual carriageway around 4.20pm.

Witnesses reported that traffic in the area had come to a complete standstill before the collision. Mrs. Rashid had stopped her car and joined the line of vehicles waiting. Data retrieved showed that David Scott had applied heavy braking upon or just before colliding with the BMW but was unable to prevent the collision. Scott’s defence advocate, John Scullion KC, expressed Scott’s deep remorse and sincere apologies to the couple’s family and friends.

Mr. Scullion mentioned the uncertainty surrounding why the vehicles had abruptly stopped before the crash, indicating that Scott had minimal time to react. Although there were no concerns about his speed, it was acknowledged that he should have reacted in time to avoid the collision. The tragic outcome was attributed to a brief lapse in attention. Sheriff John Speir, in addition to imposing the driving ban, subjected Scott to one year of social work supervision, 200 hours of unpaid community work, and a six-month electronic tagging order.

In conclusion, the devastating consequences of this accident serve as a reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for drivers to remain vigilant at all times to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.