Drivers in West Yorkshire are being warned that if they’re not watching the road, then police officers may well be watching them – from the cab of a HGV.
As of today (6 Nov), West Yorkshire Police officers are out on the county’s roads in a HGV, filming the driving habits of other road users.
The five-day operation in West Yorkshire is part of Operation Tramline, a national joint initiative between police forces and Highways England.
Sergeant Steve Suggitt, from West Yorkshire Police’s Safer Roads and Neighbourhood Support Team, said: “Being in a HGV means we can not only see the car driver checking the latest message on their mobile, but we are also on the same level as other HGV drivers and can see if their attention is diverted from the road.
“The latest THINK! campaign, launched last month, highlighted that if a driver travelling at 30mph glances at their phone for just 2.3 seconds, they miss 100 feet of road – the length of a Boeing 737.
“The consequences of taking your eyes off the road, even for a matter of seconds, can be devastating – even more so if you are at the wheel of a lorry or other large vehicle.
West Yorkshire Police previously ran Operation Tramline in May when 31 vehicles were stopped, 10 fixed penalty notices issued and 10 traffic offence reports submitted for offences including driving while using a hand-held mobile phone, not being in proper control of a vehicle and driving without due care and attention.
Well, I’d hope not considering how that isn’t an offence.
(Not being to drive to a safe standard because you’re using one is, however)
David Weston, Corby
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Will drivers be reported if they were taxi drives or HGV drivers speaking into their hand held radio mouthpieces and not necessarliy on the phones.
m.worthington Manchester
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