An Otago man whose truck and trailer unit crashed head-on into a car, injuring two tourists near Haast, was fined $250 and ordered to pay $1200 emotional harm.
Simon Bruce Trail admitted causing injury by careless driving on March 12.
The court heard that Trail, 46, was operating a 'wide load' truck and trailer unit carrying a gold screen, when he failed to notice a sign warning of a one-way bridge.
When he came up to the bridge and noticed a car on it, he applied the brakes but was unable to stop in time, his vehicle skidding 60m before crashing into the car just as it exited the bridge.
An Australian couple in their 70s in the rental car suffered serious bruising and minor abrasions.
They were taken by helicopter to Grey Base Hospital and had to cut short their stay in New Zealand because of health concerns arising for the crash.
Judge Robert Murfitt fined Trail $250, ordered him to pay his victims $1200 for emotional harm and disqualified him from driving for six months.
