The driver of a bus which crashed in Dubai killing an Irish teacher couldn't see the entire road because his sunshade was too low, it has been reported.
Fiona Geraghty, 27, tragically died in the horror smash on June 6.
The Dublin woman was one of 17 people, out of 30 passengers, who were killed while travelling from Oman to Dubai.
The Omani driver, 53, on Tuesday pleaded guilty at Dubai Traffic Court over charges of causing the wrongful death of 17 people and injuring others.
The court heard that the bus struck a low-hanging barrier while traveling at a speed of 94km/h in a 40km/h zone.
The driver reportedly told the court: "I admit to my mistake but the sun was too bright. It was shining into my eyes so I pulled down a small curtain."
The 53-year-old took a turn which led to a road not designated for buses due to height restrictions.
Prosecutor Salah Bu Farousha Al Felasi said the driver shouldn't have made such an error as he has used the road several times before, Gulf News reports.
He said: “He admitted to lowering the sun shade and didn’t notice the signboards or warning signs, despite having used the road several times before the accident.
"His reckless driving, not paying attention to the road, and his speeding, caused the disaster.
The signboards and warning signs were enough to warn any driver.
“The bus driver didn’t pay attention despite being responsible for the lives of passengers.
"Passengers usually trust the bus driver and put their lives in his hands, knowing that he should have passed hard tests to obtain such a licence."
Al Felasi asked Judge Ali Ghnaim to hand down the toughest punishment of seven years in jail and a fine of €820.2million in blood money for the families of the victims.
The judge rejected a request to release the driver on bail until the next hearing on July 9.
