Lorry driver given four year sentence after fatal

[Crusaderrr]

https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/late ... -collision

[peterm]

Why only four years. This prick should have got the maximum jail time and banned for life. He's killed an innocent woman and he'll be out in next to no time. I hope this is appealed and increased.

[Winseer]

We didn't use to have anywhere near this number of fatal HGV-Car collisions before the advent of "Mobile Phones" - did we?

...And yet our authorities have elected to put "eating a choc bar" or "twiddling the radio" on the same plane law-wise as "Holding a mobile device", thus making the law unenforcable...

Great work lawmakers! - not!

They could have just left it at "holding a mobile communications device" - and then proceed to bust everyone and anyone caught even on camera using one whilst driving..

[ETS]

69 year old lorry driver? You're kidding. He probably has the reflexes of a dead mouse. Was he one of them "Oh I've been driving these things for 40 years - never had an accident, I can handle a phone and a steering wheel at the s..OH CRAP!!"

[GasGas]

He wasn't thinking...he should have married a member of the US Armed Forces and claimed retrospective diplomatic immunity.

Still, it's not what you know, it's who you are married to that counts.

[Darkside]

He wasn't thinking...he should have married a member of the US Armed Forces and claimed retrospective diplomatic immunity.

Still, it's not what you know, it's who you are married to that counts.

And as Trump said "we've all done it!..

[Acorn]

Just food for thought. He was on the phone whilst driving. Presumably the person he was talking to also knew he was driving. Shame there is / was no corresponding penalty for being involved. Unless they clearly had been told that he was hands free and kept the call to a minimum.
Shame on them. Shame on all those Tpt offices as well who call their drivers knowing that they could just check telematics before calling a driver and expecting a long complex chat about deliveries etc

[corij]

wonder what he was jabbering on about all that time ? likely that was caught on his dashcam too

[jakethesnake]

Just food for thought. He was on the phone whilst driving. Presumably the person he was talking to also knew he was driving. Shame there is / was no corresponding penalty for being involved. Unless they clearly had been told that he was hands free and kept the call to a minimum.
Shame on them. Shame on all those Tpt offices as well who call their drivers knowing that they could just check telematics before calling a driver and expecting a long complex chat about deliveries etc

That's the idea, lets blame the person on the other end of the phone as well. There is only one person at fault. We all have a choice but unfortunately some don't listen and seem to think they know better.

[jakethesnake]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

[m.a.n rules]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

ffs jake youre just provoking argument .. are you that bored, give it a rest

[muckles]

Just food for thought. He was on the phone whilst driving. Presumably the person he was talking to also knew he was driving. Shame there is / was no corresponding penalty for being involved. Unless they clearly had been told that he was hands free and kept the call to a minimum.
Shame on them. Shame on all those Tpt offices as well who call their drivers knowing that they could just check telematics before calling a driver and expecting a long complex chat about deliveries etc

That's the idea, lets blame the person on the other end of the phone as well. There is only one person at fault. We all have a choice but unfortunately some don't listen and seem to think they know better.

Actually it's in the law on mobile phone while driving, you can be proscecuted for knowingly calling someone while driving, although not sure if a case has ever come to court.

Employers, managers, colleagues and callers may be legally implicated when a driver uses a mobile phone as causing, permitting, aiding, or abetting the infringement.

And I think any decent company should have policies on mobile phone usage that include communication from the office to the driver.

[dieseldog999]

the drivers obviously to blame for doing what hundreds of thousands of uk drivers do on a daily basis.
mostly everyone speeds,some get caught.
mostly everyone uses phones whilst driving,some get caught.(mostly everyone dont include the holymoly phd holders in here)
dung happens when its your turn to have a bad day.
unless they bring back hanging,then no penalty is going to stop mobile/driving usage so no point in moaning about it.

tough for those on the receiving end more so than the driver,but just a fact of modern life nowadays and itl never change till the same technology that invented it,can be adapted to isolate it.

[muckles]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

Well that would depend on how much you believe the research is relivent to real World situation, I've read the TRL research paper much of the headlines were based on.

They used a car simulator and asked those taking part to drive various routes, then measured speed, accuracy and reaction times, of them while driving without distractions, while using hands free, while using a hand held mobile and while just drunk enough to fail a breath test.

So far so good,

But they didn't get them to have a chat with a mate, instead thrh were asked to do mental arithmetic problems, repeat complex sentences and surprise, surprise, it appears its quite difficult to do.

I would have liked to see another group tested generally talking [zb] with a mate, apparently this wasn't done as you can't quantify the results, but surely as a comparison against the others tests it could have been quantified.

In this case although the driver had been talking for 20 minutes, just before the collision he was dialing a number, which no doubt had taken both his eyes and attention from the road ahead.

As for mobile phone use while driving generally, well it seems to be an epidemic, driving a LHD truck I see them on their phone checking social media, etc, as I pass them because they've slowed down so much while doing it.

[nomiS36]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

I actually agree with this.
It’s not holding the phone to your ear that causes the crash by distraction, it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

[jakethesnake]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

I actually agree with this.
It’s not holding the phone to your ear that causes the crash by distraction, it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

Yep, you have cracked it I reckon but we will always get the ones that think they are capable.
Of course some are more capable than others but can anyone afford to take the chance?

Hands free will be banned soon.

[dieseldog999]

so whats worse out of the 2 options.?
not that its applicable in this dudes case but just in general.
driving along the road knakkered and nodding off,or calling a mate and talking crap till the sleep wears off?
passing the time for 30 mins or an hour toodling along usually in the middle of the night chewing the fat with your mate is usually a winner for me and thats without the added brain dead monotony of being on cc at 52 in a poverty spec fleet night trunk.
the obvious and predictable reply of stop,park up,call your office and get them to taxi you to the nearest holiday inn isnt an option before you reply with it....( you know who you are)..

[nomiS36]

I was in the usual Doncaster bypass (A1) stop start traffic running back in tonight at about half 5. The van next to me stopped, I looked in my mirror and thought to myself, that audi is going a bit quick then BANG!!! Straight up the vans arse! Guess what the audi driver was doing

[jakethesnake]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

ffs jake youre just provoking argument .. are you that bored, give it a rest

Nope, not bored at all. Sitting in a bar having a few beers and having an occasional glance at my favourite forum.

[toonsy]

I was in the usual Doncaster bypass (A1) stop start traffic running back in tonight at about half 5. The van next to me stopped, I looked in my mirror and thought to myself, that audi is going a bit quick then BANG!!! Straight up the vans arse! Guess what the audi driver was doing

Stopping really quickly?

[Mazzer2]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

ffs jake youre just provoking argument .. are you that bored, give it a rest

Nope, not bored at all. Sitting in a bar having a few beers and having an occasional glance at my favourite forum.

Mmmm classic Billy no mates sitting in a bar on the phone obviously no one interested in the world according to Jake, Quelle surprise!!!

[ETS]

it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

This is ridiculous. It's no different to having a conversation with a passenger (still legal) or listening to BBC R4 and screaming at the person talking (like I do)

It's the idiots texting and reading who take their attention off the road. You will notice the big craze against phones started about the time when "smart" phones came in and rightly so. Before there were hands-free things too and it wasn't an issue. Before handheld phones there used to be car manufacturer installed phones in cars, remember?

ACtually talking to a live person in the car is worse because you have to look at them from time to time

[jakethesnake]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

ffs jake youre just provoking argument .. are you that bored, give it a rest

Nope, not bored at all. Sitting in a bar having a few beers and having an occasional glance at my favourite forum.

Mmmm classic Billy no mates sitting in a bar on the phone obviously no one interested in the world according to Jake, Quelle surprise!!!

If that's what you think that keeps me happy.

[jakethesnake]

it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

This is ridiculous. It's no different to having a conversation with a passenger (still legal) or listening to BBC R4 and screaming at the person talking (like I do)

It's the idiots texting and reading who take their attention off the road. You will notice the big craze against phones started about the time when "smart" phones came in and rightly so. Before there were hands-free things too and it wasn't an issue. Before handheld phones there used to be car manufacturer installed phones in cars, remember?

ACtually talking to a live person in the car is worse because you have to look at them from time to time

You have a lot to learn son.

[robroy]

One thing that always confuses me is why holding a phone to your ear can cause an accident?

I actually agree with this.
It’s not holding the phone to your ear that causes the crash by distraction, it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

Yep, you have cracked it I reckon but we will always get the ones that think they are capable.
Of course some are more capable than others but can anyone afford to take the chance?

Hands free will be banned soon.

''Autopilot mode'' in a truck is a technique that comes with experience imo.
You invariably get the situation where you need to take some sort of evasive action whilst in that mode, and manage to do so, but at the same time you have passed 2 or more MSAs for instance, but have no recollection of doing so.....not necessarily on a phone either.
After saying that though, that guy was 69 years old, with presumably vast experience, but effed up..., so as you say it's an individual thing it seems.

No doubt the blanket /baby with bathwater ban situation will come about, as true to form in the UK. , despite the problem not justifying it....I mean it's one or two cases in last few years, not exactly epidemic problem proportions is it.

[robroy]

it’s the phone call itself so holding the phone or being hands free makes no difference imo.

This is ridiculous. It's no different to having a conversation with a passenger (still legal) or listening to BBC R4 and screaming at the person talking (like I do)

It's the idiots texting and reading who take their attention off the road. You will notice the big craze against phones started about the time when "smart" phones came in and rightly so. Before there were hands-free things too and it wasn't an issue. Before handheld phones there used to be car manufacturer installed phones in cars, remember?

ACtually talking to a live person in the car is worse because you have to look at them from time to time

You have a lot to learn son.

Don't agree Jake.,
For once. Mr ETS isn't being the big 'I am' and talking through his rectal orifice, and shock horror guess what?
...I agree with him
, and I certainly ain't got 'a lot to learn' .

[elsa Lad]

Why only four years. This prick should have got the maximum jail time and banned for life. He's killed an innocent woman and he'll be out in next to no time. I hope this is appealed and increased.

Hand on heart have you ever used a blue tooth ear piece or a hands free phone while driving? Most of us have. I thought when I read the story was the [zb] has wrecked the dead womans families life then I remembered, I got to see if my bluetooth headset have finished charging, which means I no better than him so I can hardly judge him.

[jakethesnake]

Your prerogative Rob. Plenty like your self that have had their minds changed suddenly but hey ho.

[jakethesnake]

Why only four years. This prick should have got the maximum jail time and banned for life. He's killed an innocent woman and he'll be out in next to no time. I hope this is appealed and increased.

Hand on heart have you ever used a blue tooth ear piece or a hands free phone while driving? Most of us have. I thought when I read the story was the [zb] has wrecked the dead womans families life then I remembered, I got to see if my bluetooth headset have finished charging, which means I no better than him so I can hardly judge him.

Like your style elsa lad.... Honest.

[bobbya]

69 year old lorry driver? You're kidding. He probably has the reflexes of a dead mouse. Was he one of them "Oh I've been driving these things for 40 years - never had an accident, I can handle a phone and a steering wheel at the s..OH CRAP!!"

That is ageist,no need for it.