A LORRY driver was spotted watching a TV while driving on the A12 during one of the biggest road safety campaigns ever carried out by Essex Police. 

More than 220 vehicles were stopped on the A12 yesterday.

Officers from Essex Police and Suffolk Police have been carrying out patrols and vehicle checks on the trunk road between Brentwood and the Suffolk border all day. 

Among the vehicles stopped, police said:

  • 14 were seized for having no insurance
  • 44 vehicles had no MoT
  • nine drivers were not wearing seat belts
  • three people were seen using mobile phone
  • one HGV driver who stopped for watching a TV while at the wheel
  • Five vehicles were found to be overloaded
  • three were found to be a dangerous condition
  • four were prohibited from the roads until repairs had been carried out

The sizeable operation was carried out following concerns about the number of A12 road collisions leading to injuries or fatalities.

Between January and October 2014, a total of 83 collisions which resulted in injuries were reported, resulting in 113 casualties, including one fatality and 19 serious injuries.

Adam Pipe, Casualty Reduction Manager for Essex Police, said: "The day really underlined the importance of partnership working and how working together and pooling a range of skills and staff with passion and dedication we can maximise the real potential of delivering a robust and effective road safety message.

"The public’s response to the operation has been very positive and the considerable media coverage has helped us to raise awareness of the Safer Essex Road Partnership’s engagement, education and enforcement activity directed towards road safety and road crime.”