Pregnant Peterborough driver who crashed at 110mph with young children in her car gets suspended sentence

A pregnant woman who crashed into another car while driving at more than 110mph has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Dash cam footage of the incidentDash cam footage of the incident
Dash cam footage of the incident

Madalina-Cristina Postolache of Windsor Road, Peterborough, was driving her Audi Q7 on Junction 33 of the Nene Parkway in the city.

Just after 3pm on June 24 last year she smashed into the back of another car – a Renault Megane.

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The driver of the Megane had moved into the far lane to let another car onto the main carriageway from the slip road.

Dash cam footage of the incidentDash cam footage of the incident
Dash cam footage of the incident

The back seat passenger of the Megane suffered three broken ribs, one of which may never fully heal, and bruising to his legs which were crushed against the driver’s seat.

The Megane’s front seat passenger spent five days in intensive care having suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and severe bruising to his back.

Both men also suffered fluid on their lungs and had to take considerable time off work to recover from their injuries. They still require long-term outpatient care from hospital.

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Postolache and the driver of the Megane were not seriously injured.

Officers recovered dash cam footage just prior to the collision from another driver. The footage was analysed by forensic collision investigators who concluded that Postolache was driving at a speed of at least 113mph four seconds before the crash and had made no effort to slow down beforehand.

Postolache (32) was interviewed on the same day of the collision and admitted being the driver of the Audi.

She told officers that she had been travelling at speeds of "around 90" but then claimed she meant kilometres per hour - and therefore 70mph.

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She stated that a vehicle moved in front of her and therefore she braked sharply, causing her car bonnet to "fly up" and restrict her vision. This is when she claimed she struck the car.

Postolache was later charged with two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and pleaded guilty to the charges at a later court hearing.

PC Anthea Heap, who investigated, said: “Postolache’s driving was reckless and completely irresponsible. She was two months pregnant at the time of this crash and also had four passengers in her car – two of which were her young children.

“She had absolutely no consideration for other road users as she drove dangerously – reaching 113mph before this collision took place.

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“The victims in this case were understandably left very shaken by the collision. One of them struggled to sleep and faced anxiety at the thought of getting back into a car. The other man’s fracture may never completely heal.

“The driver of the Megane suffered Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“Despite all of this, the situation could have been so much worse. Speeding is completely unacceptable and is one of the fatal four causes of collisions of our roads.”

Sentencing Postolache, Judge Matthew Lowe said she was "within a whisker" of going to prison immediately.

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Postolache was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on Monday where she was handed a 10 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

She was also ordered to complete a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Postolache was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended retest.