Woman with 'fear of driving' facing a ban for crawling along motorway at 10mph

Stephanie Cole, 57, was spotted in her Malaysian-made Perodua Kenari with a sign in the back which read "I do not drive fast, please overtake", a court heard yesterday.

She was straddling the hard shoulder and the inside lane of the M32 in Bristol and, despite driving at walking pace, repeatedly jammed on her brakes.

Officers pulled Mrs Cole over, and she told them: "I'm scared. I've no confidence on the motorway. Last time this happened a policeman drove me there."

Mrs Cole, of Fishponds, Bristol, pleaded guilty by letter to driving without reasonable consideration.

In the letter read to North Avon Magistrates' Court Mrs Cole said her GP had been treating her for a "fear of driving" for the last three-and-a-half years.

She said: "I have suffered from a driving anxiety for some time and I have been receiving counselling for the problem. I apologise for my behaviour. I think a driver improvement course would help."

Magistrates adjourned sentence until January 4 for her to appear in court, saying that she was likely to be banned.

Sue Thomas, prosecuting, said Mrs Cole was en route to a Staples stationery store on August 30 when she was seen by PC Duncan Verel.

He followed her as she drove down the hard shoulder and back on to the motorway at less than 10mph. She then lurched across the inside lane at crawling pace as speeding traffic swerved around her and then, in confusion, put her hazard lights on.

In a statement read to the court Constable Verel said: "As I entered the motorway traffic was slowing and swerving to the right to avoid a Perodua Kenari.

"I got four metres behind the car and signalled for it to pull over. It had a yellow sign on the back saying 'I do not drive fast, please overtake'.

"I spoke to the driver and told her the way she was driving was dangerous and she told me she had no confidence, and the last time this had happened a policeman drove her there.

"I began escorting her back on to the motorway and it was quite clear how slowly she was driving. I was still in first gear and the engine was only ticking over. She was continually braking and still maintained a speed under 10mph."

PC Verel then pulled Mrs Cole over again and cautioned her for careless driving before guiding her off the motorway.

Magistrates' chairman Malcolm Richardson said: "We have no doubt that the bench should seriously consider banning Mrs Cole from driving for this offence.

"We have heard from police officers that road users were put in danger by Mrs Cole.

"The fact that it is caused by a medical condition does not remove the need for her to be a capable driver on the road.

"We shall adjourn the case till January 4 when she can appear. I hope she doesn't drive here."