Shocked magistrates in Scarborough sent down 18-year-old Darren Smith for four months after an 85mph joyride without licence, young driver car insurance or MOT ended in a potentially fatal collision with another car.
They described the episode as "one of the worst cases of dangerous driving" in court history.
Smith was carrying a passenger - a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons - who begged him to slow down as the pair hurtled along the Thrussendale Road near Malton.
"Your passenger asked you to slow down and you ignored him," Smith was told in court. "He was scared and feared for his life and thought he was going to die."
Those fears were almost realised when Smith's car rammed into a Volkswagen Golf coming the other way, leaving its driver 'deeply traumatised'. Rather than stop to help the victim of his recklessness, however, Smith panicked and drove off again.
Magistrates told him "You have shown no remorse or regard towards other road users and a blatant disregard for any of your actions."
Besides the jail term, Smith was banned from driving for two years. After that, he will find it virtually impossible to find cheap car insurance because of the conviction.
You've got to wonder if a court-imposed driving ban and the threat of increased motor insurance premiums will be enough to keep someone like Smith away from cars after his release, however.