That puts a new twist on things certainly 
unfortunately, I’ve seen several drivers with lap-tops open and operational, I have no sympathy whatsoever with anyone caught using one on the road.
another one from 2006, these incidents go back years, sadly enough at the time of this one I still delivered regularly to Rytmo in Eindhoven where this driver worked, other drivers there (Dutch) seemed a little shocked that he was jailed at all for this saying that in Holland a jail term would not have been given.
This practice seems quite common with foreign drivers.I have not seen a british truck watching a laptop whilst driving.
Is it common practice in Eastern Europe?
If he was watching/using his laptop then the court should throw the book at him for what he as done.
At the end of the day he as wiped out a family. At the end of the day then drivers who are caught using a laptop should feel the full weight of the law 
extrucker:
This practice seems quite common with foreign drivers.I have not seen a british truck watching a laptop whilst driving.
Is it common practice in Eastern Europe?
I got past by a storbarts last week who had is laptop on and there was the driver who got done late last year on the m6 so its not just foreign drivers
Question;
How the hell can you watch a laptop dvd/map ect whilst driving a car, let alone a HGV■■?
Not defending the driver but surely Sat Nav’s should also be questioned for EXACTLY the same reasons!
At least with a laptop the screen gives a larger view AND gives voice directions EXACTLY like Sat Nav’s.
There is a vast difference between glancing and looking at such a device and not seeing the road for up to a mile due to looking at such a device for such a period of time as you could drive for up to a mile!!! the tail backs where apparently visable as the road was visible for a mile in a straight line… 
ossie:
Not defending the driver but surely Sat Nav’s should also be questioned for EXACTLY the same reasons!
At least with a laptop the screen gives a larger view AND gives voice directions EXACTLY like Sat Nav’s.
I agree with you
I have said before “The bigger problem is people will LISTEN to a sat nav system but not read the road ,Exit left 1 mile , exit left 1/2 mile exit left 500yrd , 400yrds ,200yrd 100yrds exit left, The last EXIT LEFT IS ON THE CHEVERONS 
ffs READ THE ROAD”
The police reported that the lap top screen was facing the driver after the accident,by the drivers seat.After an impact of 31 mph,how can the lap top remain in the same position,surely with the force of impact and abrupt stop,it would have moved to the floor of the cab,as do most cab items,on a normal driving day,like roundabouts,etc.Or have i missed something.
tim williams:
The police reported that the lap top screen was facing the driver after the accident,by the drivers seat.After an impact of 31 mph,how can the lap top remain in the same position,surely with the force of impact and abrupt stop,it would have moved to the floor of the cab,as do most cab items,on a normal driving day,like roundabouts,etc.Or have i missed something.
Valid point Tim. I think it’s highly likely the lorry driver dozed off. To travel a mile would take over a minute, It doesn’t matter how good you are, nobody could look at a computer screen for that long without drifting to left or right. However, it is possible to drive in a state of semi conciouness for that long or longer.
Not just maps don’t forget - some of these “drivers” watch DVD’s also, particularly on long journeys, boring boring, cruise on - lets watch Die Hard - again.
brados:
Not just maps don’t forget - some of these “drivers” watch DVD’s also, particularly on long journeys, boring boring, cruise on - lets watch Die Hard - again.
Not just streetmaps don’t forget - some of these “drivers” read books also, particularly on long journeys, boring boring, cruise on - lets read War and Peace.
One doesn’t automatically lead to the other. I’ve used a laptop as a sat-nav for over 5 years and I’ve managed to not watch films on the road.
The problem here from what I read was he was trying to find a new route, if he’d have been working from a map he’d have been doing the same thing, just with a map in front of him instead of a mouse in his hand.
The laptop isn’t the relevant point - the sort of driver that sits and watches films would be doing something other than driving whether they had one or not, it’s just with a film going, it’s more apparent to you as they drive past.
I don’t think his defence is up to much though - they’re claiming the Stathams had already crashed. What, does that mean it’s ok to drive into the back of someone? It would appear he hasn’t got a leg to stand on, but lets point the blame in the right direction, it’s the driver at fault NOT the laptop
get him lock up i
he has killed a family
bugcos:
That puts a new twist on things certainly
It certainley does mate. There was three lorrys involved in that pile up. One jacknifed into the central reservation and another burst into flames. Maybe they where all watching the same laptop?
I hope they lock the ■■■■■■ up and throw away the key!
I get distracted in the cab, as do most of us, for a second or two. How many of you feel (as I do) a bit disorientated if you haven’t checked your mirrors for half a minute? On the face of it it seems this chap hadn’t looked up the road for at least that amount of time or had been doing the “texting glance”.
This isn’t manslaughter, death by dangerous, gross negligence, careless driving or any other spin its mass murder, pure and simple, and should be dealt with as such.
tim williams:
The police reported that the lap top screen was facing the driver after the accident,by the drivers seat.After an impact of 31 mph,how can the lap top remain in the same position,surely with the force of impact and abrupt stop,it would have moved to the floor of the cab,as do most cab items,on a normal driving day,like roundabouts,etc.Or have i missed something.
exactly…at least someone is thinking of plausable alternatives to the watching a DVD,falling asleep,knitting a jumper scenario.
we can all judge from what we read in a TOTALLY one sided,BIASED media…he may well be totally guilty as charged…but really THIS is just pure SPECULATION as we’ll never know what actually happened.
an innocent family was killed and that will always sway a jury in one direction,whether the deceased was at fault or the FOREIGN driver of a 44 tonne wagon…somehow i think i know how its gonna end. 
Just looking at the pictures of that family has really shocked me,so tragic. The driver will have to deal with his conscience forever regardless of what the court’s say.