DRAMATIC dashcam footage shows the moment a drink driver crashed while going 75mph in a 30mph zone, causing life-threatening injuries to his passenger.

David Head, from Haywards Heath, has been jailed after drinking wine and taking cocaine before crashing his Renault Megane in 2020.

The 42-year-old was seriously injured, along with his two passengers, in the crash in Breezehurst Drive, Crawley.

One of the passengers was “lucky to survive”, according to police.

Dashcam footage from inside the car shows the vehicle driving at 75mph in a 30mph zone.

The car also can be seen driving through red lights, mounting the kerb and overtaking dangerously.

Police Constable Christina Lane, from the Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said the footage was “shocking”.

“The driving was dangerous from the start of the journey until the crash, and included driving at grossly excessive speeds throughout,” she said.

“The expert witness we used from road safety support who examined the footage calculated the journey included speeds of 74.5mph in a 30mph zone in the moments prior to the car losing control and crashing.

“There were several near misses with other vehicles and the vehicle is even shown to mount the pavement and central reservation on a dual carriageway.

“That mounting of the pavement early on in the journey should have been warning enough, but Head continued to drive, eventually crashing into a garden wall and leaving his front seat passenger with near fatal injuries.

“The risk to other members of the public on the roads was astounding, it’s a miracle there weren’t more victims of Head's recklessness.”

Head, of Colwell Road, Haywards Heath, told roadside police he had a bottle and a half of wine before drinking.

His blood was tested, and it revealed he had 159 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood. The legal limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

He also tested positive for 176mg of cocaine per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 50mg per 100ml.

Head previously admitted drink and drug driving at a hearing at Crawley Magistrates’ Court last yea and was sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work, 25 rehabilitation sessions, £85 court costs, £95 surcharge and was disqualified from driving for 28 months.

Last week, Head admitted causing seriously injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for two years and seven months.

The judge said the offence was so serious that only an immediate prison term could be justified.

His driving disqualification was extended to three years and three months to reflect the time he will serve in prison.

Speaking after the result, PC Lane said: “Head put his own life, the lives of his passengers and the lives of everyone else at risk when he got behind the wheel of his car.

“RPU officers have been working hard during the winter campaign to crackdown on drink and drug drivers. They are one of the main causes of why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“So, this sentence demonstrates that those who consume alcohol and drugs and then get behind the wheel will face the consequences.

“We are determined to catch offenders and ensure are roads are safe for our communities.”

PC Lane said if passengers in a vehicle are worried or scared about drink or drug drivers, they should ask the driver to stop or tell them they don’t feel comfortable in the vehicle.

“The best advice is to try to remove yourself from the situation, or call the police from inside the car, as taking swift action can stop a serious collision from happening.”