Spotlight falls on drivers using mobile phones at the wheel

On Wednesday officers were out and about in the unmarked HGV tractor unit, which provides an elevated viewpoint from which to identify motorists committing offences.

No less than five drivers were caught using their mobile phones – one of which was a tractor driver – and a sixth was found to be impaired through cannabis.

One of the mobile phone users was not only driving a large vehicle himself, but also transporting a second vehicle on the back of his van.

As the photograph shows, his attention was not on the road in front of him.

The drug driver, who was stopped and arrested on the A19, was driving a van carrying scaffolding poles.

For those who wonder why we take this so seriously, just consider the potential consequences of a collision that sends scaffolding poles flying across a busy carriageway.

Inspector Paul Ryans, of Durham Roads and Armed Policing, said: “Our officers will be carrying out enforcement patrols and education initiatives throughout the month and beyond.

“Too often we are seeing people come to harm on our roadways, and so often it is preventable if only drivers would put their phone away, put on their seatbelt, stick to the speed, or call a taxi when they aren’t fit to drive. It isn’t difficult.

“Even today, so many people still question why we focus on these things day after day. The answer is because people are still coming to harm day after day.”