Lorry driver filmed on M4 using two mobile phones
Police have released footage which shows a lorry driver traveling along a motorway using two mobile phones at the same time.
The driver of the 44 tonne articulated lorry was filmed on the M4's eastbound carriageway between J18 and J17 on Tuesday 2 February.
He was given a £200 on-the-spot fine for the offence of driving while using a mobile phone.
The incident was just one of a number of offences Avon and Somerset Police caught on camera during Operation Tramline, an initiative targeting distracted drivers to make the roads safer.
Officers also saw a 3.5 tonne vehicle illegally towing a trailer in lane three of the M5 motorway at excessive speed.
Another motorist was caught holding a mobile phone, with their right little finger touching the bottom of the steering wheel and their other hand nowhere near the wheel, on the M4.
In total officers checked 409 drivers on roads across Avon and Somerset including the M5, M4 and A303.
They found 51 people not wearing a seatbelt, 11 people on their phones, seven people speeding and six not in proper control of their vehicle.
Two people were caught driving carelessly and inconsiderately while five were found to have been driving without due care and attention.
Avon and Somerset Police summonsed four drivers to court, issued 72 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) and gave words of advice to 15 drivers.
Chief Inspector Jason Shears, Roads Policing Lead for Avon and Somerset Police, said: “Driving whilst distracted is every bit as unacceptable as drink driving and just as likely to be fatal.
"Research has shown that drivers using a phone – handheld or hands free – are four times more likely to be involved in a collision and their driving is also impai
red to a degree similar to that of a drink driver."
Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens described the incidents caught on camera as "appalling, unacceptable and dangerous".
She said: “The minority who use mobile phones and tablets or become distracted by sat navs are not just putting themselves in danger but others around them.
"We all know the risks when looking away from the road to change music or to check text messages, and the solution is simple; do not take the risk and instead keep focused. If you are caught looking at your phone or tablet while driving, you will be prosecuted."
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