Magistrate Darryl Pearce said Fanglin Zhu put her own life and the lives of other motorists at risk when she was detected travelling at 50km/h on the New England Highway near the Moonbi Ranges about 11.15am on December 12.

Tamworth Local Court heard Zhu had been the subject of numerous driving complaints to police that morning, and at one point crossed double lines.

“On the incorrect side of the road to almost cause a head-on collision with a semi-trailer,” he said.

“People had complained prior to this that she had been driving erratically up the road.”

Zhu told the court she had been in Australia for three months and was studying at the University of New England.

She was charged by police with driving recklessly and negligent driving and pleaded guilty through an interpreter to the second offence, before the first charge was withdrawn and dismissed.

“It was a very steep hill, so I drove very slow, to be safe,” she told the court.

“Because the road was so steep, I didn’t want to have an accident.”

Zhu said when she saw a vehicle behind her, she pulled over to the right, “because that’s what you do in China”.

“I didn’t mean to do that on purpose,” she said, of crossing the double lines.

“I didn’t mean to do that deliberately.”

Mr Pearce said it didn’t matter that there was no intent and convicted Zhu and fined her $400.

“It was putting at risk her life and other lives, especially on that road (the Moonbi Ranges),” he said.

“It is negligent driving to drive too slow on the road in a 100km/h zone.

“If she’s frightened of driving, she shouldn’t be on the roads with high speeds.”