US driver had ‘no idea’ why she did not see biker

Ms Hayes, from Indiana, told defence barrister Christine Agnew KC she was stationed at RAF Lakenheath, working as an aerospace mechanic on ground equipment associated with jets, such as generators, heaters and tow bars.

She told the court she got her full US driving licence at 16, and – after moving to the UK – passed a written test on the highway code.

She said she had received a speeding ticket in the US for being five miles per hour over the limit, and was involved in two incidents – one when a deer ran in front of her car, writing it off, and a separate minor collision with an SUV at a shopping mall.

She told her barrister that neither collision was put down to being her fault.

Ms Hayes said she stopped driving after the collision on 26 August until May of this year, adding: “I was terrified – I had traumatic visions in my mind of driving and I do not want to hurt anyone.”

She said she found the A10 junction “intimidating”.

“There’s a lot to look at,” she said. “There’s traffic coming from left, two lanes to the right, occasionally the farm track though it’s very rarely used.”