How M6 spy lorry is catching drivers using mobile phones
It is a dangerous habit that the police are determined to eliminate.
But, despite tougher laws and constant warnings, many motorists are still using their mobile phones while driving.
And on a wet day on the M6 there was plenty of evidence of drivers still risking their lives to make a phone call or check a text.
Police handed out a number of penalty points to drivers during a day of action against a practice that has the potential for disaster.
The undercover operation involved an unmarked lorry where police spotters were positioned high up at a good vantage point.
They were able to spy into people’s cars, vans and lorries and catch out drivers who thought no one was watching.
After spying motorists breaking the law, the spotters then radioed their colleagues who were driving in unmarked police cars nearby and sped up from behind to pull over the culprits.
One woman in a red Seat was given six points, while a man in a lorry was given three points.
Ahead of the operation, inspector Sion Hathaway, from Central Motorway Police Group, was hoping no motorists would be caught out. But that hope proved to be in vain.
Not long after setting off from the police base in Staffordshire, motorway officer Andy Duncan received a radio message through his ear piece. A lorry driver was seen using his phone.
Mr Duncan acknowledged the details. He then accelerated ahead of the lorry and pulled up in front of the vehicle.
The traffic officer deployed his flashing blue lights flashing and turned on a warning sign on the rear windscreen, which said “follow me”, and pulled the driver over.
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After speaking to him in his car, Mr Duncan said: “The man was actually a really nice guy. He admitted that he picked up the phone and should have known better. He will get three points.”
A grey area in the law means that, sometimes, motorists might be punished with three points instead of a maximum six. It all depends whether any data communication has been made.
This is despite the government tightening the law in March 2017. This saw the penalty doubled to six points and a £200 fine, for using a hand-held mobile device while driving.
Fatal consequences
Points and a potential fine of pounds, which will no doubt push up people’s car insurance premiums, is a significant punishment for a momentary action of checking a phone.
But those few seconds looking away from the road, can lead to fatal consequences – especially on one of Britain’s motorways in driving rain, said Inspector Hathaway.
“We have seen a lot in the media, in the past few months and couple of years, where there have been some really tragic accidents,” he said.
“People have been killed purely because other people haven’t been paying attention to their driving because they have been using mobile devices, in-car technology and also people not wearing their seat belts.”
The aim of the operation is to stop that happening, and spread of awareness of the dangers.
“An ideal day for me is that we get no results which means everyone is behaving themselves,” he continued.
“But experience tells me we will go out and we will find people who are choosing to drive in such a way that puts other people in danger on the motorway.”
He was proved right.
On the M6, not far from Junction 10 at Walsall, the unmarked lorry spotted another driver flouting the law.
Mr Duncan got another message through his earpiece. “Just pulling up on your left now is the driver,” said the message.
It was a woman driving a red Seat. Mr Duncan pulled in front of the car and indicated for the woman to pull over.
This time, he issued the maximum six penalty points.
Mr Duncan added: “She admitted using the mobile phone.”
The police operation took place after the lorry became available for use in covert campaigns.
The vehicle is passed around different police regions and it is currently based with West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police and Warwickshire Police.
