Leyland mum of two died in drunk-drive crash after celebrating passing paramedic exams

A young mum and army veteran died after getting into her car drunk and crashing into a tree - after celebrating passing her exams to become a paramedic.

Sarah Giffen-Smith was "significantly intoxicated" when she got into her Audi A1 on the night of October 14 2022.

As the 32-year-old drove around the right-hand bend in West Paddock, Leyland, she lost control of her car and drove across a grassed area before smashing into a tree.

Firefighters had to cut Sarah out of her car and she was taken by ambulance to the Royal Preston Hospital.

Despite surgeons carrying out an operation to try to repair her heavily damaged liver she was died the following day.

At an inquest at Preston Coroner's Court, collision investigator PC Brendan Williams said an examination of Sarah's car found no defects and she had been wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Marks on the road and grassed area indicated that she had not attempted to brake after her car left the road.

"The vehicle had left the road to its offside, hit the kerb, travelled across the grass then across the junction with Jubilee Court before colliding with a tree," PC Williams said.

"There weren't any witnesses but there was some CCTV from a property which showed the latter stage of the collision.

"The vehicle had just negotiated a right-hand bend.

"It just appeared that the driver had continued to turn right and then left the road. There was no attempt to return back to the carriageway and no evidence the vehicle was braking.

"If a vehicle is braking when it goes onto the grass, which was very soggy at the time, the wheels tend to lock before the ABS releases and you get drag marks that pull the grass up but there was no evidence that was the case.

"There was nothing that suggested anything other than driver error."

PC Williams also said a toxicology test showed the mother of two boys, had been "significantly intoxicated" at the time of the crash.

Her blood alcohol reading was 228mcg, almost three times the legal limit for driving of 80mcg.

Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset said: "She had been celebrating passing her paramedic examinations prior to getting into her vehicle on the night in question."

A post mortem CT scan revealed that Sarah's liver was "shattered and in multiple parts". The cause of death was given as traumatic liver injury.

Returning a conclusion of road traffic collision the coroner added: "Sarah Smith died at the Royal Preston Hospital from injuries sustained in a road traffic collision.

"She had consumed alcohol before getting into her vehicle."

After Sarah's death friends raised more than £6,000 to help her husband Peter pay for her funeral.

Pauline Evans who set up the online fundraiser said "I am raising funds on behalf of Sarah’s family.

"Sarah, a beautiful young mother of two boys, tragically lost her life in a car accident on 14/10/22 in Leyland.

"Please help me in raising as much as we can to give Sarah the send-off she deserves and support her two boys who are now left without a mum.

"Sarah was a beautiful soul and served in the army for 10 years. She was selfless, kind and a great mum.

"Anyone who knew Sarah would say she was the life and soul of the party with an amazing sense of humour and life will never be the same without her.

"Sarah we love you forever and always."

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