Woman crashes car in London rush hour while drinking cup of tea

Police said the woman's admission about the drink caused her to be reported for 'driving without due care and attention'

The scene of the crash in Staines Road, Twickenham, on 17 May 2016 (Richmond Police)

A woman crashed her car during rush hour in London while she was drinking a cup of tea, police have said.

The car ploughed into metal barriers at a busy junction in Twickenham on Tuesday morning, causing road closures and traffic jams.

A spokesperson for Richmond Police said officers came across the accident while patrolling in Staines Road at around 9.40am.

“The driver, a 39-year-old female, had stated she was drinking a cup of tea at the time of the collision,” he added.

“The driver did not require assistance from London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and was fortunately unharmed.

“The accident caused significant damage to both the vehicle and the railings.

“Due to the comments made to officers about driving whilst drinking a cup of tea, the driver was reported to the Central Traffic Department for driving without due care and attention.”

The road was temporarily closed to tow away the wrecked car, causing buses and traffic to be diverted.

Richmond Police shared a photo of the crash scene on Twitter with the tongue-in-cheek hashtag #DontDrinkandDrive.

Some commenters were amused, while others said the driver “could have killed someone”. “Peak Twickenham has happened,” one remarked.

The woman could be ordered to attend a driving awareness court, receive a fine and points or be summoned to a court.