Posted on the 30th December 2025 in PHTM News

UBER DRIVER BANNED AFTER DRINK DRIVING CRASH WITH PASSENGERS ONBOARD

An Uber driver who crashed his car while carrying passengers was more than double the legal drink-drive limit, a court has heard.

Blackburn Magistrates’ Court was told the car driven by Faizan Anjum collided with a road barrier while travelling from Darwen towards Bolton, causing the airbags to deploy.

A police officer who attended the scene said it was fortunate the vehicle struck the barrier, warning that without it the crash could have been fatal.

Anjum, 33, from Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drink.

The court heard two women had booked the Uber through the app and were picked up at around 4.15am. Prosecutor Glenn Anderson said the passengers, who were sitting in the rear of the vehicle, initially described the driver as appearing normal.

“The next thing they knew, the taxi had crashed,” Mr Anderson said. “The airbags were activated and the seatbelts caused bruising to both passengers.”

Police carried out a roadside breath test, which showed Anjum had 87 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – more than double the legal limit of 35mcg. He admitted drinking alcohol before driving.

Mr Anderson said Anjum was taken to hospital following the crash and by the time blood samples were taken, the reading had fallen below the legal limit.

Sentencing Anjum, Deputy District Judge Wajid Khalil said it was fortunate nobody suffered more serious injuries.

“You clearly placed members of the public at serious risk,” he said.

Anjum, who was unrepresented and has a previous alcohol-related driving conviction from 2016, apologised to the court.

He was banned from driving for 36 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 victim charge.


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