The worst cases of bad driving you need to see

Ten years ago, National Highways launched a bold new trial with police forces across the country – the first unmarked HGV cab took to the roads to deter unsafe driving. It was here that Operation Tramline was born.

A decade on, Operation Tramline cabs have helped officers expose more than 51,500 dangerous driving offences, with support from 35 police forces nationwide.

Since the first cab hit the road with Surrey Police in 2015, officers have spent more than 13,000 hours patrolling the motorways. Today, three unmarked HGVs are available to police forces across the country, giving officers a higher vantage point to spot dangerous driving in cars, vans, and even other lorries.

Exposing reckless drivers

Operation Tramline has exposed a staggering range of reckless behaviours behind the wheel. Among the most bizarre include:

• Drivers eating full meals – from takeaway food to one motorist spotted in North Yorkshire eating a bowl of cereal, and another tucking into lasagne with a knife and fork while driving.
• A driver applying makeup as she travelled down the M40 in the Midlands.
• A driver steering a vehicle transporter with his elbows on the M40 in Warwickshire.
• Multiple drivers using two mobile phones at once, including one placing an online order with a phone in one hand and a credit card in the other.
• A motorist solving a Rubik’s Cube while navigating traffic on the M25.
• Three HGV drivers from the same company were caught using mobile phones during a single week of enforcement by Hampshire Police.
• One driver in Surrey justified using their phone behind the wheel by saying their new girlfriend’s favourite song had come on the radio – and they just had to call her.

Meanwhile new footage released recently reveals three drivers spotted without their hands on the wheel and using their mobile phones when Surrey Police patrolled in the National Highways HGV cab last month.

What are the most common offences?

The most common offences recorded over the last decade are not wearing a seatbelt (14,861) and using a mobile phone (13,553). Together, these driving offences make up over half (54%) of the total number of offences recorded by police between 2015 and 2024.

Statistics around the use of mobile phones at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt highlight why safety campaigns such as Operation Tramline are needed. Road casualty statistics from the Department of Transport show that, based on data for 2018 to 2022, 24% of car occupant fatalities were not wearing a seatbelt. Motorists are also four times more likely to be in a crash if using a mobile phone while driving.

“We know that driver distraction, such as using a mobile phone, and not wearing a seatbelt are key factors in collisions which result in people being seriously injured or killed on our roads,” said Sheena Hague, National Highways’ director of road safety.

“Our goal through Operation Tramline has always been to remind motorists to think carefully about their driving behaviours behind the wheel. The choices people make can have such a devastating and far reaching impact on people’s lives.”

Hague added that it’s disappointing that there are still a minority of people who continue to put themselves and others at risk and will continue working with the police through Operation Tramline and other campaigns to deter unsafe driving.

Chief constable Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, echoes this, stating that driving while distracted is incredibly dangerous and selfish. The stats also show that it all too often ends in tragedy.

Shiner added: “Proactive work to tackle this and the other fatal four driving behaviours is vitally important in improving the safety of our roads, as well as educating road users to think twice about their actions.

“The results from Operation Tramline speak for themselves in showing just how valuable it is and how the perspective from the truck cab enhances officers’ view of the road. It also shows great partnership working which is absolutely key to making our roads safer for everyone.”

What are the “Fatal Four” driving behaviours?

The “Fatal Four” driving behaviours, identified by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) as major causes of serious road collisions, include:

• Speeding: Driving at excessive speeds or inappropriately for the conditions can lead to loss of control and increased severity of crashes.
• Driving under the influence (DUI): Impairment from alcohol or drugs significantly reduces reaction time, coordination, and judgment, making driving extremely dangerous.
• Not wearing a seatbelt: Seatbelts are a vital safety feature, and not wearing them increases the risk of serious injury or death in a crash.
• Mobile phone use: Distraction from using a mobile phone (texting, calling, etc.) while driving reduces your focus and reaction time, leading to accidents.

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