18 cars involved in crashes on A9 stretch in two days

EIGHTEEN cars have been involved in separate crashes on the same stretch of road over the last two days in the Highlands as a result of drivers being blinded by a low sun.

The road has seen a high number of traffic accidents in the past two days Picture: Michael Gillen

Two collisions happened on the A9 in the Black Isle yesterday morning while another two took place on Monday morning.

The incidents all happened between the Kessock Bridge and the Tore roundabout.

An ambulance service spokesman confirmed that two victims of yesterday morning’s crashes were taken to hospital with suspected leg fractures and head injuries and that a third person had been taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness with minor injuries as a precaution.

The first incident yesterday involved six cars and happened at about 8:30am on the southbound carriageway of the A9 between Allangrange junction and the Munlochy junction. Emergency services were called and the road was cleared less than two hours later.

• READ MORE: Four vehicle crash closes A9 for three hours

Around an hour after the first crash, four cars were involved in an accident slightly further south, at North Kessock.

It has been suggested by Transport Scotland officials that sun glare may have been a contributing factor in the incident at Allangrange. There were similar conditions on Monday morning when eight cars were involved in two separate crashes on the same stretch of road.

A woman was taken to hospital for treatment after six cars collided north of the Munlochy junction. Two cars were involved in the second incident on Monday. There were no casualties.

Inspector Neil Lumsden, head of trunk roads policing in the north of Scotland, said a low sun had been a contributory factor in both day’s accidents.

He said: “In situations of reduced visibility, which drivers have experienced over the last two days, drivers should reduce their speed and extend the distance between themselves and vehicle in front.

“This will not only give sufficient time to react to what is happening in front of them, but it will also allow them to extend their braking distance.”

• Twenty-year-old Angus Plowman, from Fortrose, died of his injuries at Raigmore Hospital following a two-car crash on the Black Isle last month about two and a half miles east of Munlochy junction.

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