An Edinburgh taxi driver, Duncan Beattie, 77, has been fined and given penalty points after admitting to driving without due care and attention when his cab struck a four-year-old child at a pedestrian crossing.
The incident took place around 3:15pm on April 15 near the junction of South Gyle Broadway and Burne Cruick. The child had pressed the button and begun to cross when Beattie drove through a red light, causing the child’s head to hit the taxi before he fell backward — only to be caught by his parents.
The child was taken to hospital and treated for a lump on his forehead and minor bruising.
Appearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Beattie told the court he had not seen the red light. He claimed that the pedestrian crossing’s signal timing had previously shown an amber light for drivers while pedestrians were being given a green signal — a timing issue that has since been corrected.
When Sheriff Cook asked if he had indeed gone through a red light, Beattie replied: “Yes.”
The sheriff described the offence as the result of “inattention” and took into account Beattie’s previously clean driving record.
Beattie was fined £400 (reduced from £600 for an early guilty plea) and received five penalty points on his licence, reduced from an initial seven.
He reportedly remains a working taxi driver and intends to continue driving for at least another six months.
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