Overview
- The crash occurred on 29 June 2024 when Fiona Phippen’s Nissan left the A1 slip road and struck a stationary family Mercedes on the forecourt at Foston Services, killing psychology student Urwah Tanveer and badly injuring her 83-year-old grandmother.
- CCTV shown at Lincoln Crown Court and police analysis estimated the Nissan was travelling between about 41 and 51 mph as it entered the service area, and footage captured the vehicle hitting Ms Tanveer as she stood beside the parked car.
- Investigators found Phippen had been on a six-minute WhatsApp video call that ended 38 seconds before the collision and concluded her inattention, not a mechanical fault, caused the crash after vehicle checks showed brakes and cruise control worked correctly.
- Phippen pleaded guilty in April to causing death and causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was sentenced on 15 June 2026 to four years and three months in prison plus a seven-year-and-six-week driving ban with an extended retest.
- Victim impact statements described the family’s long-term trauma and the loss of a student due to an avoidable distraction, and the case highlights road-safety concerns about using mobile phones for video calls while driving.