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Learner driver caught at nearly twice the legal limit

You would assume those who are yet to pass their driving test would take things steady, but it seems one learner had other ideas.

28-year-old Cydney Mantle was caught by a speed camera travelling at 132mph – almost twice the legal limit – on the M25 motorway near Epping in the county of Essex – and only had a provisional licence.

To make matters worse, her Audi was missing L-plates, which are mandatory for anyone who is yet to pass their test, and provisional licence holders are banned from driving on the motorway.

The incident took place at 11:30pm on the 13th of September, 2015. Mantle has since been disqualified from driving for six months and was fined £220, in addition to an order to pay £90 in costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

The Beckenham resident told Chelmsford Crown Court last week she was at the wheel because her partner had been drinking, but never offered an explanation as to why she caught at such an absurd speed.

“Speed is a contributory factor in 60 per cent of collisions on the roads of Essex,” Essex police casualty reduction manager Adam Pipe said. “Speeding risks and ruins lives and there are no excuses for such irresponsible driving behaviour.”

“I hope this sends out a clear message to drivers and anyone thinking about learning to drive. Driving comes with responsibility and failure to abide by the rules of the road is taking seriously by the courts,” he added. 

You would hope other learner drivers are more sensible, but let’s not be hasty. A report from 2014 found that one in five learners have penalty points and there was one case where the learner was arrested halfway through a lesson for being drunk.

Oh, and another thought it was okay for a parrot to supervise a drive, as opposed to, you know, a human being. Then there was the learner who ‘panicked’ and caused a 70mph police chase. Whatever happened to common sense?

Read: 10 essential tips for new, young or inexperienced drivers.

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