Taking his eyes off the road to fiddle with his iPod caused Grantham man Dannie Hessom to swerve into a pedestrian crossing beacon.
Hessom, 23, was also over the drink-drive limit from the night before, Grantham magistrates heard.
Edward Johnson, prosecuting, told the court that Hessom was driving along North Parade at around 8.50am on November 24 when the collision occurred.
A woman driving a vehicle in front had stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the road. Hessom’s Vauxhall Astra collided with the rear of her vehicle and mounted the pavement, stopping up against the beacon with the car’s front wheels in the air.
Police were called and a breathlyser test given. It recorded 64 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The limit is 35mg.
Hessom told officers he had been drinking in Grantham town centre the previous evening but woke up that morning “feeling hungover but not drunk”. He said he had been sorting out his iPod connection and didn’t see the vehicle in front had stopped in time to brake.
Giles Tyas, defending, told magistrates that Hessom had not realised he was over the drink-drive limit, nor had he realised his MOT certificate had expired.
Hessom, of Worcester Road, admitted both charges and was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £250 with £85 court costs and a £25 victim surcharge.