A WOMAN has been cleared of causing the death of an 83-year-old grandmother in Clydebank through careless and reckless driving. 

Agnes Humphrey was crossing Glasgow Road, near the junction with Cameron Square, in Hardgate, when she was struck. 

Several onlookers rushed to provide aid after the accident, around 7.15pm on October 9, 2013, and Mrs Humphrey, nee Donaldson, was taken to the Western Infirmary for her injuries, but died days later. 

Letitia Kirkwood, of Lamont Avenue, Bishopton, was charged with driving without due care and attention and causing her vehicle to strike Mrs Humphrey on October 9, where she sustained injuries and died on October 12. 

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard last week that there were no mechanical or break difficulties found on Ms Kirkwood’s vehicle, with officers having tested and recreated the conditions with the vehicle at the scene of the accident. 

Glasgow Road was said to be busy at the time, with traffic in both directions, and after the accident, many people were trying to help. A police investigator who prepared a report on the incident said Mrs Humphrey was using a triwalker and Ms Kirkwood was driving below the 30mph limit when her Saab struck the pensioner, who landed on the bonnet, her head striking the windscreen. 

The officer read to the court from his report which concluded the “majority of the blame lies with Letitia Kirkwood”, although she was travelling below the 30mph speed limit when her Saab struck the pensioner, who was using a triwalker.

But Ms Kirkwood’s defence solicitor questioned: “I can’t help think there’s a lot of assumptions here. You don’t know where [Mrs Humphrey] left the curb, you don’t know what speed the pedestrian was travelling at, you don’t know what speed the driver was travelling at.” 

“No,” agreed the officer. 

But he added: “I believe the driver has seen the pedestrian and decellerated but has left the final breaking too late.” 

Sheriff William Gallacher cleared Ms Kirkwood, 64, of the offence.