SHOCKING footage of a lorry driver using his mobile phone to make a credit card payment on the M40 has been issued by highway chiefs.
The trucker was seen holding his credit card in one hand and phone in the other as he drove along the motorway near Leamington – resulting in him getting a £200 on-the-spot fine.
The video released by Highways England is among 3,000 dangerous drivers filmed by three unmarked HGV supercabs in the past year in a bid to improve safety on England’s high-speed roads.
The cabs, funded by Highways England, have travelled thousands of miles since they first took to the road 12 months ago and police officers inside the vehicles have recorded more than 3,500 offences, including over 450 in the Midlands.
The most common offences included not wearing seatbelt (1,195), using mobile phone (1,062), not in proper control of vehicle (262), and speeding (118).
The supercabs patrol motorways and major A roads across England and have been used by 29 police forces over the past year in a safety initiative known as Operation Tramline.
They allow police officers to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling up alongside vehicles, and drivers are then pulled over by police cars following a short distance behind.
Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: “Hundreds of thousands of drivers use our roads every day and the vast majority are sensible behind the wheel but some are putting themselves and others at risk.
“We introduced the three new HGV supercabs last year to help keep the roads safe and tackle dangerous driving by people who have either got into bad habits or are simply ignoring the law.
“The cabs have helped to identify over 3,000 unsafe drivers over the past year, and we hope they will encourage everyone to think about what more they could do to improve how they drive.”
Watch lorry driver as he makes credit card payment on the M40.
