A WOMAN who drove down the wrong carriageway of the A331 between the junctions with A323 Aldershot Road and the A31 Hogs Back in March, causing a serious collision was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment yesterday (Wednesday) at Guildford Crown Court.

Sandra Walton, 46, of Manor Road in Guildford pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while over the legal alcohol limit, and was also disqualified from driving for three years and five months and will have to take and extended re-test.

Just after 7.30pm on March 16, Walton was travelling southbound on the northbound lane of the dual carriageway, she collided with another car which in turn caused a further collision with two other vehicles.

Walton suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital for emergency treatment. The other drivers received minor injuries and were treated at the scene by ambulance.

A full investigation followed and officers discovered that Walton was over the legal alcohol limit at the time of the incident, a back calculation was completed which suggested a range between 184 and 243 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood at time of collision. The legal limit is 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. This seriously impaired her ability to drive safely.

Sergeant Eddie Ryan, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “The consequences that night could have been a lot worse and the driver was lucky that no one else was seriously injured. Driving whilst over the limit is illegal and not to mention extremely dangerous.  

"I hope the driver has learnt her lesson and that today’s sentence will deter other drivers from putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.”