Uber driver who crashed in Darwen double drink drive limit

Blackburn Magistrates’ Court heard the car driven by Faizan Anjum had collided with a road barrier, causing the airbags to deploy.

A police officer who attended said if it hadn’t been for the barrier, he could well have been dealing with a fatal crash.

Anjum, 33, of Whitewell Place, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drink.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months, with five days of rehabilitation activity requirements and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.

He was banned from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Deputy District Judge Wajid Khalil said by all accounts it was fortunate that nobody received more serious injuries.

“You clearly placed members of the public at serious risk,” he said.

Glenn Anderson, prosecuting, said two women had booked the Uber through the app and were picked up at 4.15am.

“They were sitting in the rear of the vehicle and described the driver as normal,” said Mr Anderson.

“Next thing they knew, the taxi had crashed. The airbags were activated, and the seat belts caused bruising to both passengers.”

Mr Anderson said the officer who attended said it was fortunate the car had hit the barrier because otherwise it would have been a fatal crash.

The defendant admitted he had been drinking and gave a roadside breath test of 87 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, against the legal limit of 35mcg.

“He was taken to hospital and by the time blood samples were taken, the reading was under the limit,” said Mr Anderton.

Anjum, who was not represented, said he could only apologise.

He had a previous alcohol related driving conviction in 2016.