A teenager caused the death of a family friend when he lost control of his car on a corner and collided with her vehicle.
Mina Mackenzie, 77, died at the scene of the accident after the head-on collision with Daniel Fraser's car on the A862 Beauly to Inverness road, at the junction with A821 Cannich road.
The 19-year-old immediately confessed to police he had been driving too quickly for the wet conditions, Inverness Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.
Fraser, of Torgormack, Kilmorack, Beauly, was banned from driving for three years after he admitted causing Mrs Mackenzie's death by driving carelessly on June 11 last year. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.
Sheriff Ian Abercrombie asked the Crown office to express his concerns over the location of the crash, which involves a 110 degree bend at the Lovat Bridge.
He said: "I have real concerns about this stretch of road and I will be writing personally as well."
Fraser had met some friends at a Chinese takeaway and they had all driven off together, but he got caught behind a pick-up truck, the court heard.
He overtook the pick-up safely but realised too late that he was approaching the bridge too quickly.
As he tried to turn, the teenager lost control of his Citroen C4 which collided head-on with Mrs Mackenzie's boxcar.
Passers-by who stopped to help found Mrs Mackenzie, of Tomich Holdings, Beauly, had a weak pulse but by the time aerial paramedics arrived they could not find a heartbeat.
Defence agent David Hingston said: "He has been deeply affected by this accident. It was such a momentary lapse and the carelessness resulted in such devastating consequences.
"Police investigators estimate that the safest maximum speed to take this corner is 42mph. It does not require a boy racer not to be able to take it. He was not going excessively fast, but he was for the conditions.
"The result is awful. Someone who was loved by her family has died. But he has suffered because he has killed a family friend. Mrs Mackenzie and her family were known to his family."
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