The woman’s vehicle came to a sudden halt on the A1, heading towards Gateshead, after Gordon Glass tried to take control of it from the passenger seat in June.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Glass had been controlling who the victim saw and spoke to in the weeks leading up to the journey and he spat in her face as drove.
Prosecutor Ellen Wright told the court Glass had forced the woman to send photographic proof of where she was, monitored her social media and messages and insisted she spend her free time with him.
The court heard Glass was working away in Preston when he became “irate” that she had deleted messages from a friend, that he wanted to read and threatened to travel back to the North East to confront her.
At 1.30am on June 24 she woke up to 60 missed calls from Glass, who had travelled over 140 miles to her front door and was shouting that she was a “liar”.
He then demanded she drive him to McDonald’s and she was too afraid to refuse.
Miss Wright said during the journey Glass found messages on the woman’s phone from a male friend and then demanded he drive her to that person’s house.
Miss Wright added: “While she was driving the defendant continued being verbally abusive towards her and he then proceeded to spit in her face.
“He then smashed her phone onto the centre console, causing damage to the phone and centre console.
“She deliberately missed a turn-off as she was worried about what would happen.
“The defendant responded by grabbing the steering wheel in an attempt to take control of the vehicle.
“He then pulled the handbrake of the car while the car was moving, causing the car to come to an abrupt stop.
“The defendant then threatened to snap her neck.”
The court heard the woman shouted for help when she saw a police car and the officers arrested Glass.
The victim said in an impact statement the ordeal has had a huge impact on her life and wellbeing, left her with flashbacks and nightmares and added: “I believe that night he would have killed me.”
Glass, 43, of no fixed address, admitted controlling and coercive behaviour, two charges of causing criminal damage and one of assault by beating.
Judge Carolyn Scott sentenced him to two years behind bars with a five year restraining order.
The court heard Glass is remorseful, motivated to change, has obtained certificates while in prison on remand and has a job offer.