Car insurance news

Drink driver and the seven kids

The fantastic prices offered by specialist women ’s car insurance firms won’t be enough to save the pennies of a Northumberland woman who crashed after downing two and a half pints of wine.

Victoria Jefferson from Blyth had seven children passengers in the vehicle when she collided with an oncoming BMW. She had no licence or car insurance and had taken her sister ’s Citroen Picasso without permission.

Police who were called to the scene of the accident found the youngsters crying but unhurt and breathalysed Ms Jefferson, finding her one-and-a-half times over the legal limit. She pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with no car insurance, and magistrates have adjourned the case for pre-sentencing reports.

The 28-year-old said in court that she had been at a party before the incident, when she was told that her brother, Lee, had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. After drinking the wine, allegedly distraught, she stole her sister’s keys and took off in the Picasso along with the seven children. Damage to the vehicle was later estimated at £5000.

Magistrates have advised the drink-driver that she is not likely to face a prison sentence, but there is no doubt that if she ever does learn to drive, the chances of getting a cheap car insurance premium will be very slim.

*A replacement car can normally be arranged under one of the following conditions: (1) Comprehensive policyholders – a replacement car may be available under the terms of your insurance policy. Please check your policy details for more information. (2) Non fault accident – where we have the name, car registration number and insurance details of the person who caused the accident, we can supply a replacement car. This is done on a credit hire basis which means the costs for this service will be passed onto the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. We may not be able to arrange a replacement car where we are unable to get an admission of liability from their insurance company, or where the driver is untraceable or uninsured. (3) Repair garage – if your car is booked in for repairs following an accident, the repair garage may be able to provide a replacement car (subject to availability).