Bus driver hit car in Bedminster day after night on booze
A BUS driver crashed a double-decker carrying passengers into a line of parked cars after going on a drinking binge the night before an early shift.
Steven Derrick smashed head-on into a Mini Cooper car on St John's Lane, Bedminster, after several near misses, Bristol magistrates heard.
And when he was arrested the 24-year-old, of Bideford Crescent, Knowle West, was found to be over the drink-drive limit of 80mg, having 95mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
The number 90 bus he was driving from Hengrove to the city centre on the morning of September 30 had eight passengers on board.
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Prosecuting, May Li said Derrick had picked up the First bus from the depot at 6.20am, after drinking "four or five double Jack Daniel's whiskey and cokes" and a pint of lager the previous night.
David Summerhayes got on the bus at Filwood Park at 6.53am and said he was "blanked" by Derrick, who appeared to be "staring into space".
Mr Summerhayes noticed the bus clip the kerb three times as it travelled along Newquay Road and he assumed Derrick must have been a trainee driver. At Glyn Vale, Derrick pulled up at a bus stop, despite no one waiting there, opened the doors and sat there for about 30 seconds. He did exactly the same further along the route, the court heard.
By the time he got to Wedmore Vale some of his passengers were so concerned they were threatening to get off before their stops.
Ms Li said on St John's Lane, Derrick swerved right into the middle of the road to avoid parked cars before swinging back left and hitting the white Mini head-on, forcing it 20ft along the road into another parked car, which then hit a third car.
The Mini belonged to Sarah Chuk, of Redcliffe. Shortly after the crash she told The Post: "If I had been in my car pulling away, I dread to think what might have happened."
The bus passengers were left shocked but uninjured.
Father-of-one Derrick had been working as a bus driver since 2008. He resigned after the incident but went on to get another driving job.
Mitigating, Judy Hampton said her client had personal problems at the time.
"Mr Derrick is extremely remorseful and apologetic to the passengers on the bus that particular morning," she said.
"He is, himself, shocked by what took place. As this was an early start, clearly the alcohol had not all gone from his system."
Passing sentence, presiding magistrate Roger Dunster said: "There could have been pedestrians in the vicinity and the result could have been much more serious."
Derrick was disqualified from driving for a year, must do 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs.
First Bus spokeswoman Karen Baxter said the company has a "stringent" drug and alcohol policy.
She said: "We randomly test 10 per cent of our entire workforce on an unannounced basis for any breaches of this policy and in addition to this have a process whereby when there is reasonable suspicion that an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they can also be tested.
"Anyone found to have more than 13 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 milligrams of breath would fail the test. This is more severe than the legal drink drive limit of 35mg/100 ml.
"Failure to comply with the policy is deemed as gross misconduct and the individual will be dealt with via disciplinary procedures which may result in dismissal."
Comments
by Bristol123
Monday, January 28 2013, 1:54PM
“I agree nobody knows what First do behind closed doors apart from the poor staff that it affects. First need to start looking after their loyal staff members. This company also sacked a long serving loyal member of staff when they had the proof that the driver had done nothing wrong! Perhaps First should take a look at their recruitment add which says "we look after our staff" maybe they should change this to "we unfairly sack long standing loyal members of staff with ill health" - this company are a joke!”
by blotto_otto
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 10:20AM
“Ohhhhh, if only you knew what First do behind closed doors. Sacking a driver with a good record simply for looking at their phone whilst stationary with the handbrake on at a red light and all because said driver was pursuing a bullying, harrassment and defamation of character greivance against them and had been for nearly eighteen months. Yet certain drivers are given a slap on the wrist due to their age or overtime practises.
Believe me, a lot goes on behind the depot gates that the people of Bristol dont know about and a lot more drivers than the odd one or two would be over the companies 13mg limit if they did more than just the odd random check here and there. I was there for six and a half years and got checked once for alchohol, twice for drugs.”
by Pogo_T_Clown
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 10:20AM
“I'm sure they -could- but that's a bit mistrustful of their staff, the vast majority of whom are decent, hardworking people. Also, any costs that would be incurred would pass onto the customers. I may be in the majority but I think that bus travel is already too expensive in Bristol, so I'm happy to put my faith in people's basic decency.
However, I do think that people do underestimate how long alcohol affects them, assuming that falling asleep = automatically sobering up. It's happened to me in the past, although luckily I've never been trusted with public safety or heavy machinery.”
by Pogo_T_Clown
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 10:19AM
“I'm sure they -could- but that's a bit mistrustful of their staff, the vast majority of whom are decent, hardworking people. Also, any costs that would be incurred would pass onto the customers. I may be in the majority but I think that bus travel is already too expensive in Bristol, so I'm happy to put my faith in people's basic decency.
However, I do think that people do underestimate how long alcohol affects them, assuming that falling asleep = automatically sobering up. It's happened to me in the”
by nickthompson
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 10:13AM
“Eight passenger's on board,must be plenty of money on that side of the city!”
by Shas_J
Tuesday, January 08 2013, 9:59AM
“Surely First Bus with their OTT profit margin and high annual turnovers can afford to breathalise all their drivers before they start their shift? Good earner for A&S Police too with the cutbacks they are being forced to make ... ?”