These dramatic dashcam pictures show driver Catherine Dryburgh crashing head-on into a van as she overtakes an HGV.
She was fined £640 and given six points, but allowed to keep her licence when she appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Dryburgh, 67, of Glendale, Leven, Fife, came out of retirement to work at a Covid testing site.
She pleaded guilty to causing the crash on the Standing Stane Road, East Wemyss, Fife, on October 7 2020.
She’d been driving along the road, which has a 60mph speed limit, behind the lorry.
The court heard the HGV was travelling at around 37mph.
Footage captured by the truck's sideview dashcam was played to the court and showed Dryburgh following a red Audi which overtook the lorry.
The Audi managed to pull into the correct side before meeting oncoming traffic, but Dryburgh was unable to make it past the HGV before crashing nose-first into a white van being driven by William Ritchie. The vehicles collided at speed and spun on to the verge.
Mr Ritchie's van was damaged and he was taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy for treatment for "minor" injuries, but was discharged that day with painkillers.
Dryburgh also attended hospital.
The court heard she had come out of retirement last year to initially work in Test and Protect and latterly at the coronavirus testing centre in Glenrothes.
Her solicitor Lee Qumsieh said if Dryburgh was to be banned from the road, it would put her work in jeopardy.
He said: "This gave her a big scare. It took her a few weeks to get back behind the wheel again."
He said Dryburgh accepted full responsibility and was particularly concerned about Mr Ritchie's welfare after the crash.
Dryburgh has no previous convictions.
She admitted driving without due care or attention by overtaking the HGV when it was unsafe to do so, colliding with Mr Ritchie's van, injuring him and damaging his vehicle.
Sheriff Kenneth Anderson fined Dryburgh £600 plus a £40 victim surcharge and her licence was endorsed with six penalty points.
