Drunk Driving Instructor Crashes, Banned from Roads

0:00On March 3rd, a 54-year-old driving instructor from Kermarth and Shire Whales crashed his Volkswagen Polo learner car into a ditch while heading to pick up a student. This happened on February 20th along the A484 between Pimbury and Kid Welley. Police later found he was four times over the legal drink driving limit, passing driver's spot at the wreck and pulled over to check on him. They captured video of the instructor leaning out the driver's window, looking dazed. One motorist even joked about his parking spot while another warned against taking lessons from him. The crash raised quick alarms because of his role teaching new drivers. Officers arrested him right away on suspicion of drink driving. While in custody, a second breath test showed a reading of 132 micrograms confirming he was well over the limit. Howl's-based Lanelli magistrates court where he received an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months. He also got banned from driving for 30 months. He stressed he held a position of trust and posed a real risk to roads.

1:02Chief Inspector Christina Fraser noted how roads policing teams, along with prosecutors and driving regulators, acted fast to protect learners and other drivers. The instructor worked with the Red Driving School, the UK's largest trainer of instructors, though most operate independently.