Woman sentenced to four years and three months in prison for causing death of 20-year-old woman

Fiona Phippen, 45, has been sentenced following pleading guilty of one charge of causing death by dangerous driving and one charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a two-vehicle collision in June 2024.  

Just prior to 12.50pm on Saturday 29 June 2024 Phippen was driving north on the A1 between Grantham and Newark in a Nissan Qashqai, when having completed a WhatsApp video call on her mobile phone, which was in a cradle, she entered the slip road to Foston Petrol Station.

Already parked at the service station was a Mercedes CLA, which was carrying a family who were also heading north to a family event and had stopped to use the facilities and shop at the service station.  The Mercedes was parked directly in front of the shop front and had Samina Idris, 84, sat in the rear, whilst one of the other passengers, Urwah Tanveer, 20, was stood at the driver’s door, whilst the other occupants were in the shop or nearby. 

Phippen entered the petrol station at speed and drove through the forecourt towards the shop front, colliding with the parked Mercedes, which was pushed back into the shop front causing structural damage. During the collision, she struck Urwah Tanveer who had her back to the approaching Nissan, causing multiple injuries, and causing serious injuries to Samina Idris who was sat in the rear of the Mercedes.  Sadly, Urwah Tanveer died later the next day in hospital from her injuries.

Phippen, of Church Close, Great Wilbraham, Cambridge, was today sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court having pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving to four years and three months imprisonment. She was also banned from driving for a total of seven years and one and half months and must take an extended re-test before being allowed to drive again.

Following an extensive investigation by our Serious Collision Investigation Unit Phippen was charged with the two offences that she has been sentenced for at court today.  Technical examinations by the Forensic Collision Investigation Unit, found no issues with Phippen’s vehicle that were contributory to the collision.    

It was established during the investigation that Phippen had finished a WhatsApp video call only 32 seconds before she left the A1 onto the slip road.  Phippen stated that she regularly drove with the cruise control engaged, and in the moments following the collision claimed that it had failed to turn off.

The Nissan’s cruise control and braking systems were fully examined after the collision and found to be operating correctly.  The cruise control could be disengaged by a variety of options, all of which were found to be operating correctly. The brakes were also found to be in full working order and capable of bringing the car to a stop.

In interview, Phippen stated that she believed she had braked but her cruise control hadn’t disconnected and that she couldn’t slow down.  She also stated that she thought she had turned into the slip road due to a vehicle ahead of her slowing down.

The investigation concluded that Phippen was confronted with a set of circumstances as a result of failing to pay proper attention to the road ahead, resulting in a cognitive overload and failing to respond correctly to the developing scenario that she had instigated.

Detective Sergeant Emma Ward, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:

“This collision was due to the inattention of Phippen to the road ahead and what was happening around her. When circumstances changed, she did not have the situational awareness to react correctly or appropriately.

“The importance of concentration, particularly on fast roads, cannot be overstated.  Phippen’s lack of attention has tragically cost Urwah Tanveer her life and seriously injured Ms Idris.  This was all wholly avoidable, and family and friends are left to cope with the devastating impact that this collision has had on them.

“Time and time again we see people thinking that they can undertake multiple tasks whilst driving.  The reality is that driving is a complex task that requires your full attention.  This has been clearly shown in this case, and if concentration had been properly applied, then this family would not be grieving the loss of their daughter Urwah and Ms Idris would not be living with the painful injuries she sustained that day in addition to the loss of her granddaughter.”

Fiona Phippen, 45 (Photo: Lincolnshire Police)