Covert vehicle used by police to catch drivers using mobile phones on the M40

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A covert vehicle has been used by police during an operation to catch drivers of lorries, vans and cars using their mobile phones on the M40 and A34.

During a period of around five hours, on Tuesday 13th December 2016, Thames Valley Police officers from the Joint Operation Roads Policing Unit stopped 17 drivers on the M40 & A34.

Of those drivers stopped 12 were pulled over for using a mobile phone whilst driving, including one HGV driver. Three people were pulled over for driving whilst not wearing a seatbelt while two were pulled over for careless driving.

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: ‘We are committed to reducing deaths and serious injury on the roads of the Thames Valley.

Enforcement action like this, along with education of motorists, as to the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving, is vital in us reducing deaths on our roads.

The use of a covert vehicle is a useful method in tackling mobile phone use, as it allows us to see into the cabs of lorry drivers and see if they are using mobile phones.

Sometimes HGV drivers think as they are high up we cannot see them using a device, but with this tactic we definitely can.

We would remind everyone not to use their mobile phone whilst driving, and remember it’s not worth the risk.

Mobile phone use is one of the fatal four which also includes speeding, being under the influence of drink/drugs and not wearing a seat belt.‘