Six people due in court after reportedly filming Greystones roundabout crash scene on phones
Six people have been summonsed to court after reportedly filming the scene of a crash.
Emergency services were called to the four-vehicle crash near Middlesbrough on Wednesday 11 May.
The collision, on the A174 near Greystones roundabout, meant the road was closed for more than two hours and caused "significant disruption," a spokesperson for Cleveland Police said.
No-one was seriously injured, though one woman was removed from her vehicle by the fire brigade and was taken to James Cook University Hospital to be checked over.
Six drivers were reported to be using their phones at the wheel to film the emergency services while dealing with the incident.
What is the law on using a mobile phone while driving?
The law states that, even if the vehicle is stationary, it is illegal to hold and use a phone.
This also applies if the driver is stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic, supervising a learner driver or using a car that has a start/stop engine when not moving.
Drivers must never use a handheld device when behind the wheel, even if it is offline or in flight mode.
Police also have the power to stop drivers who are using their phones even if it is fully hands-free, if they believe the driver is distracted by the phone.
Those who do break the law can receive penalty points and a fine or potentially a driving ban.
Chief Inspector Darren Bainbridge, from Cleveland Roads Policing Unit, said: “We always appreciate the patience of motorists when we’re dealing with an incident which can cause much disruption for others and we try to deal with those incidents as efficiently as we can and let people be on their way.
“What we don’t expect is that we then see drivers using their phones at the wheels of their vehicles to film or take photos of what’s happening.
"At that time, they could further put people at risk by getting out their phones and taking those videos and becoming distracted by what’s going on."
He added: “The laws around driving are there to protect people. We see, far too often, the devastating consequences when someone has chosen to ignore these laws."
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