Widdowson was a passenger in a car, which collided with another near Kinloss in the north of Scotland, the Press and Journal reported.
The driver of the other car died at the scene. Widdowson escaped and was taken to hospital.
Local MSP Richard Lochhead described Widdowson as a “thoroughly decent man”.
A police spokesman said: “Further to the fatal collision on the B9089 Roseisle to Kinloss road on new year’s day, we can confirm that 59-year-old John Ian Widdowson has sadly died.
“The collision happened around noon on Friday, January 1, and Mr Widdowson was the passenger in one of the vehicles involved.”
