Woman swerved all over A30 and hit van in 'worst driving ever seen'

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Lisa Marie Milburn was in a distressed state and distracted by a hands-free device when she was behind the wheel near Hayle

A judge has told a driver that it was a matter of pure luck that nobody was killed or seriously injured during a prolonged period of dangerous driving which only came to an end after she collided with a Royal Mail van.

Lisa Marie Milburn, 39, from west Cornwall, drove from Long Rock near Penzance through the areas of Crowlas, Cockwells, Whitecross, Canonstown and into St Erth, during which time she crossed onto the wrong side of the road on numerous occasions, once leaving the carriageway completely.

She appeared at Truro Crown Court on Friday (July 13) where she pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving.

Prosecuting barrister Piers Norsworthy said it was shortly after 6pm on Friday, September 1, when Mr Watson was driving at a junction off the A30 when he saw a Skoda collide with a Vauxhall.


Mr Norsworthy said: “In the car behind was Mrs Trude, who pulled out onto the A30 towards Hayle when she saw a Skoda being driven by the defendant swerving all over the road, causing other vehicles to take evasive action to avoid the car.

“Mr Watson didn’t feel safe and pulled over to let the Skoda overtake. The Skoda then drifted left and collided with a curb causing dust to fly up before steering back. Mrs Trude saw the vehicle straddle the white lines before the driver made a dramatic correction.

“The defendant then saw a cyclist and, just after, her car left the road, hitting folding plastic bollards. All the Skoda’s wheels left the road, narrowly missing a parked van.”

Mr Norsworthy went on to detail how, towards St Erth, Milburn’s Skoda drifted into oncoming traffic and collided with a Post Office van, the van bouncing off the road and colliding with a stationary car.

Mrs Trude described the incident as the worst driving she had ever seen and Danielle Barnes, the Royal Mail van driver, suffered seatbelt injuries and whiplash, as well as significant damage to her work vehicle.

When police arrived Milburn tested negative for being under the influence of drink or drugs but it emerged that she had been deeply upset following a conversation with a family member, and using a hands-free mobile phone device while driving.

Probation officer Tony Ciocci said that Milburn has become upset after a row before she set off to drive that day.

Sentencing Milburn, Judge Simon Carr described the case as “a prolonged and appalling piece of dangerous driving”.


He said: “The fact that nobody was killed was pure luck.

“You were distracted on a hands-free device and what you should have done is pulled over and dealt with the call.


“You drove in a dangerous way, constantly swerving onto the other side of the road and at one point completely leaving the road before colliding with a van, fortunately causing no serious injuries.

“Your sustained period of seriously poor driving put other road users at risk.”

Milburn was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. She was also banned from driving for two years and told to pay £250 prosecution costs.