Police spoke to driver two hours before fatal Harthill Services crash

The 36-year-old died in a collision with a stationary lorry at Harthill services

Police carried out a breath test on a man two hours before he died in a collision with a stationary lorry, according to the police watchdog.

It found that police officers acted appropriately in their interaction with the 36-year-old man on 29 March.

He died when his car hit an HGV at a Lanarkshire service station.

The independent Police Investigations and Review Commission said officers had earlier spotted the man's car parked dangerously on the A1 in Edinburgh.

He told officers he was tired, and had taken headache tablets which he had washed down with alcohol, the report added.

The man told them he had left his home address in England and was moving to a relative's home in Fife.

Officers carried out roadside tests, including a breath test, which was negative.

They escorted him to a safe car park in Edinburgh where he told them he would rest before continuing his journey.

About two hours later, police received a report the man had died in a collision with a stationary articulated lorry at Harthill Services on the M8.

CCTV showed the car did not slow down as it left the motorway for the service station before hitting a kerb and colliding with the lorry.

The Pirc report said it was not known why the man did not take action to avoid the collision and, in the circumstances, the offices "acted in accordance with police procedures".