Photographs captured the moment when a driving instructor, impaired by alcohol, crashed his vehicle into a roadside ditch while en route to a lesson. Timothy Howells, driving a RED Driving School-marked VW Polo, was apprehended by authorities after being discovered to have a blood alcohol level four times over the legal limit. The incident occurred on the A484 between Pembrey and Kidwelly in Carmarthenshire, where passing motorists witnessed Howells stuck in the ditch and filmed the scene.
Following his arrest, Howells, a resident of Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, admitted to being en route to pick up a student for a driving session. Law enforcement reported that Howells, a self-employed franchisee representing RED Driving School, provided breathalyzer readings of 110 and 132 at the scene and in police custody, respectively, significantly surpassing the legal alcohol limit.
Despite being handed an eight-week suspended custodial sentence, Howells received a 30-month driving ban upon pleading guilty to the charges. This ban effectively prevents him from working in his capacity as a driving instructor for the duration. RED Driving School, a prominent training institution for driving instructors in the UK, has refrained from issuing a public statement on the matter.
In response to the incident, Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Inspector Christina Fraser emphasized the breach of trust and responsibility exhibited by Howells, highlighting the swift actions taken to safeguard the public from individuals posing significant risks on the road. The company’s website boasts of training thousands of individuals to become fully qualified driving instructors, earning accolades such as the national driving school of the year for 2021.
