A LORRY driver with his foot on the dashboard of his cab is among 4,000 caught by unmarked HGV operated by Highways England.
The vehicle has been used by West Mercia Police, West Mercia and Staffordshire police to catch more than 550 dangerous drivers in its first two years.
These include lorry drivers using mobile phones while driving and writing notes.
Outside of the region the HGV has even filmed a trucker checking his phone while his right foot was on the dashboard.
The driver, stopped by Humberside Police, was travelling from the M18 onto the M62 near Goole. The footage is available to watch at https://youtu.be/TeFMkbU-zno.
Another driver pulled over by Devon and Cornwall Police was found to have sent 10 replies to 10 texts within one hour; a driver in Surrey was seen trying to put toothpaste on a toothbrush; and a driver in the East Midlands was spotted steering with his knees while he ate his lunch and used his mobile phone.
The offenders were among more than 4,000 dangerous drivers on England’s roads caught by a single unmarked HGV cab over the past two years.
Latest statistics show that mobile phone use is a factor in an average of two deaths on the roads every month, with 124 people losing their lives over the past five years and 521 suffering a serious injury.
Richard Leonard, Highways England’s Head of Road Safety, said: “We’ve found that the vast majority of drivers are sensible but a few have got into bad habits, or are simply ignoring the law and putting themselves and others at risk.
“It’s shocking that around two thirds of the drivers that were stopped were using their phones when the statistics show that mobile phone use contributes to two deaths every month on the roads.”
Former Redditch beat bobby and now Chief Constable for West Mercia Police Anthony Bangham, who is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Roads Policing, said: “Police forces are committed to keeping our roads safe and partnership with Highways England is absolutely crucial for that, as we can see from the thousands of offences detected by the HGV cab.
“Together with targeted local action by police officers, this has become an important element of our intelligence-led operations against dangerous driving.
“Driving whilst distracted is completely unacceptable and police are also making use of the tougher new penalties to stop this dangerous behaviour by ensuring that offenders face the full weight of law.
“People have to think about the consequences of their actions – a moment’s distraction can change innocent lives. It is never a risk worth taking.”
Nearly two thirds of the drivers who were stopped were illegally using a mobile phone while driving, putting themselves and others at risk.
In total, 28 police forces have taken part in the HGV cab safety initiative since it began in April 2015, pulling over 4,176 drivers in relation to 5,039 offences.
Officers gave verbal advice to 388 drivers, issued 838 fixed or graduated penalty notices, and filed 3,318 traffic offence reports – usually requiring attendance at a driver education course. There were also 113 prosecutions for more serious offences.
Reasons for stopping drivers included:
• Using mobile phones – 2,508
• Not wearing seatbelts – 901
• Not in proper control of vehicles – 253
• Speeding – 249
Earlier this year, the government doubled the penalty for drivers caught using their phones at the wheel. Motorists now receive 6 points on their licence and a £200 fine – up from the previous 3 points and £100 fine.
A new THINK! road safety video was also launched last month, directed by the team behind the video for Pharrell Williams’s hit song Happy, to highlight the dangers of using your phone while driving.
It uses innovative filming, is shot in the style of a music video with an edgy soundtrack from celebrated musician Aphex Twin, and includes numerous pink kittens to highlight how much drivers miss if they are distracted by looking at their handheld phone. The video is available to watch at https://youtu.be/AmcbxgBZbr0.
