A Frenchman who got confused with the Maltese traffic system and who caused a traffic accident on Thursday today was fined €1,000 and disqualified from driving for three months. 

Hubert Sigrist, 61, currently in Malta on holiday, was negotiating a bend when he got confused on which lane he should be driving, switched to the opposite lane and smashed into an oncoming vehicle. 

The accident happened at 3.45pm on Thursday in Cliffs Street, Dingli. 

He was charged with negligent and careless driving, with having seriously injured the driver of the oncoming car, Leyton Vella and with damaging both cars. 

Defence counsel Martin Fenech asked the court to consider that is was a genuine mistake and that there was no criminal intent on his client's part. 

Police Inspectors Elliot Magro and Roderick Zammit prosecuted.