Reckless motorist caught swerving down M1 motorway while watching TV on phone

A reckless motorist was caught on camera dangerously driving along a motorway while appearing to watch a TV programme on his mobile phone behind the wheel.
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The idiotic driver was captured in footage taken by shocked car passenger Emma Bazeley as he sped along the busy northbound carriageway of the M1.

The 44-year-old said the dark-coloured Skoda had swerved across a lane towards her partner's vehicle just seconds earlier forcing him to take evasive action.

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-> 12 types of speed camera which catch drivers in Yorkshire and how they workBut as boyfriend Mat Orme, 46, overtook the vehicle Emma was left stunned to see the brainless driver watching a TV show on a phone mounted on the windscreen.

The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car alongThe reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along
The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along

Emma, an early years practitioner, has sent the video on to police following the incident, which took place near junction 15 for Northampton on Sunday evening (14/4).

Emma, of St Crispin, Northampton, said: "We were driving back from London when we noticed this car in front which was all over the place.

"At one point he swerved over the line and nearly hit us. He did not have a clue what was going on around him.

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"He was driving erratically, going right up to the speed limit and then slowing down.

The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along. Photos: SWNSThe reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along. Photos: SWNS
The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along. Photos: SWNS

"My partner started going past him and then I thought 'are my eyes deceiving me?'

"Then I said, 'Oh my god, he watching a TV programme'. I couldn't believe he could be so stupid.

"He was the only person in the car so he hadn't put it on for anybody else and you could tell by his driving, he was distracted by something.

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"He was completely engrossed by it. Even when we were alongside him, he didn't even notice until my partner beeped his horn.

The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car alongThe reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along
The reckless driving was caught on camera by a passenger in the next car along

"I'm not sure exactly what he was watching but it looked like some sort of TV show and the images were clearly moving, so he hadn't paused it or anything like that.

"The look of shock on his face was a comedy gold moment. He jumped out of his skin and he knew he had been rumbled."

The footage emerged just a day before Northamptonshire Police launched a crack-down on people who use their mobile phones behind the wheel.

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A force spokeswoman said: “As part of #DontStreamandDriveDay yesterday we were reminding road users that watching a video whilst driving is both an offence and extremely dangerous – to both the people in the vehicle and to other road users.

-> What the law says you can legally do to protect yourself if an intruder breaks into your home“Anyone caught doing so faces police action and we would encourage anyone who witnesses this type of behaviour to contact us and report it.”

PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke, of the Safer Roads Team, added: “In six seconds at 60mph, a car travels just over 160 metres – that’s over three Olympic-size swimming pools where the driver has absolutely no idea of what’s happening in front of them. Can you imagine what can happen in that time?

“Looking at your mobile phone while driving not only puts you in danger but it also puts other road users in danger too.

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"It also carries increased penalties – penalty points, fines and in some cases you can be taken to court.

“We take year-round action against drivers who break the law by using a hand-held phone to make calls, send messages, take photos or video, use social media or who otherwise interact with their devices while on the move, however for the next two weeks we are putting a particular focus on catching people committing this type of offence.

“Whether it’s a text message, a call or a video – nothing is so important it can’t wait.

"And ask yourself - are any of those things worth risking your life or the lives of other people?”