A woman accused of causing the death of a moped rider by dangerous driving said the loud music blaring from her car stereo "helped her drive better".

Young mum Tamara Bennett was playing a Proclaimers song "very loudly" when her Renault Clio was in a head-on collision with Andrew Pyecroft's bike.

York Crown Court heard Bennett was driving home from an afternoon playing pool at the Acomb Hotel.

She was overtaking a car in Chaloners Road, York, when the crash happened on December 12 last year.

Bennett, 23, of Lycett Road, Dringhouses, York, denies a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

She told the court she was in the habit of playing loud music in her car, except when her son was in the back.

But Bennett insisted that it improved her concentration

The defendant said she had not spotted Andrew Pyecroft's moped coming towards her until after she had pulled out to overtake the car in front.

She said she had first nudged out from behind the car to see if there was anything coming towards her, but saw nothing.

Because she had not seen any obstacles in the road ahead, she made the decision to overtake the car, which was indicating left to leave the road.

It was only when she was in the middle of her overtaking manoeuvre that she spotted a flashing indicator in front of her, and swerved to the side of the road to avoid it.

"I can't remember much about it," she said. "All I can remember is seeing the indicator, then getting out of the car.

"As soon as I got out of the car, I went over to see if he was okay."

The young mum described how the horror smash had left her "very shocked" and "numb".

Asked whether she agreed that the accident had been her fault, she said: "I shouldn't have been over that side of the road, but I didn't see the oncoming vehicle. I couldn't say it was my fault because I did the best I could to look down the road."

The trial continues.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, October 28, 2005