A driver who was involved in a head-on collision while overtaking the patient transfer bus has been fined £500 for careless driving.

Simon James Tuck was also fined £100 for having an invalid driving licence and had his licence endorsed with six penalty points.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that 51-year-old Tuck was driving a Fiat Doblo van on February 2 at 7.40am on the Cronk y Voddy straight.

The tiler was following the patient transfer bus when he moved out to overtake, but then collided head on with an oncoming Skoda.

The driver of the Skoda had a child in the rear passenger seat.

Both vehicles suffered heavy damage and both drivers required hospital treatment.

Tuck, who lives at Magherbreekyn in Port Erin, suffered a broken ankle and ribs, as well as internal bleeding, while the other driver had concussion and bruising to her shoulder and abdomen.

When interviewed at police headquarters on March 15, Tuck handed in a prepared statement saying that he had looked before overtaking but had not seen the oncoming Skoda.

In court he pleaded guilty to careless driving and having no driving licence.

Defence advocate Peter Russell said that his client was a tiler who was heading out on a job at the time.

Mr Russell said that there was no suggestion of any great speed and it had been a case of Tuck not seeing the oncoming car due to a dip in the road.

‘He attended police headquarters voluntarily and admitted his culpability,’ said the advocate.

Mr Russell added that Tuck had been driving for over 30 years without any driving convictions, and the licence offence had been an oversight in regard to him renewing it.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs, which he will pay, along with the fines, by October 14.