HGV driver caught rolling cigarette while on M5

A HGV driver who rolled a cigarette with no hands on the wheel was among 58 motorists caught in a police crackdown last month.

Gloucestershire Police used an unmarked lorry to catch unsafe driving behaviour on the M5, leading to court summons and traffic offence reports.

The HGV driver was stopped by officers after being filmed between junctions 8 and 14.

Sgt Matt Firth said cutting the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county's roads "continues to be a priority" for the force.

National Highways has three unmarked HGV cabs which it loans out to police forces across the country as part of Operation Tramline.

The driver of a tow truck was pulled over and received a ban as officers found it had no brakes and an insecure load.

Officers also pulled over two drivers towing vehicles while in the third lane of the motorway, which is not permitted according to the Highway Code.

Drivers were also stopped for offences such as not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone behind the wheel.

Sgt Matt Firth from the force's roads policing unit said: "We will continue to run these operations to detect and deter those who choose to drive in this manner, remembering that any of us or our loved ones could be impacted by such behaviours whilst using the county's roads."

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