Car insurance woman news
29/04/2009

Driving ban for drunk female unlicensed driver

Buying woman car insurance after a driving ban is likely to prove costly for a young Crawley driver after she took to the wheel of a pal's car to give her a lift home.

The pair had been on a night out in Crawley town centre in April, but when it came time to leave the 22-year-old car owner decided she was too drunk to drive having consumed cocktails and champagne.

Her friend, 24, who had drunk two large glasses of wine, decided she was in a fit state to drive even though she did not have a full driving licence and was not insured to drive the vehicle.

The MG they were travelling in was quickly spotted going the wrong way round a one-way system and when stopped by police the driver was found to have 59mg of alcohol in her blood. The front seat passenger recorded 121mg – the legal limit is 35mg.

In court, the female driver pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, without valid car insurance and without a full driving licence.

The vehicle owner, who as front seat passenger with a driver who had not passed her driving test was technically in charge of the vehicle, admitted being drunk in charge and not having valid insurance.

The 24-year-old driver was banned for 18 months and ordered to pay £810 in fines and costs.

The 22-year-old car owner received 10 penalty points and fines and costs totalling £760.

A spokesperson for CoverGirl, specialist providers of woman car insurance, said, "Drink driving is a serious offence and these women will both find obtaining cheap car insurance a problem in the future because of these convictions."