A LORRY driver has been “let go” after shocking footage captured him using a mobile device while driving across a major bridge.
Jae Crowe, from Kent was crossing the River Thames with his mother Sharon Morris who captured the photographs of the driver on his “phone” last Friday afternoon.
The pair were using the Queen Elizabeth II bridge crossing from Essex to Kent to return home when the mother took the pictures.
The footage shows Jae driving across the bridge and with the lorry driver on his left hand side using the mobile device.
Jae’s mum got in touch with Seymour Transport to let them aware of the driver’s offence.
The company told her that the vehicle was theirs, but the driver was an “agency driver” and has been let go.
The furious dashcam driver uploaded the footage to Facebook the next day captioned with: “Seymour Lorry driver using his phone whilst driving the over the Queen Elizabeth II bridge.
“I suffered from a fractured spine and neck following an accident where I was rear ended by a k**b in a van — full of tools because he was busy texting.
“Leaving me with life-long injuries. I am outraged at any selfish twit who chooses to do anything while driving that totally distracts them from the road.
“I for one put my phone in the glovebox which automatically switches to driving mode as soon as it detects me driving.
“So it stops all incoming texts and calls until I stop as I never want to be responsible for someone’s death or life changing injuries.”
The short clip begins with the dash-cam driver gradually passing a red lorry, which has Seymour written in block capitals.
The video, which has been edited, then zooms into the lorry’s wing mirror to show a reflection of a hand stretched out with device that looks like a phone or a tablet.
Before, it shows a series of photographs that clearly show the driver of the lorry staring into a device holding it out at arms length.
It then cuts to the rest of the footage which shows the car merging into a queue of cars while the red lorry flies by the queue in another lane.
One user said: “Makes no difference if it is a car or lorry driver. Except of course that a lorry driver can do even more damage.
“I have been left with a permanent disability and constant pain due to an accident caused by someone on their phone. It’s not a joking matter.
“People need to take it more seriously.”
Another added: “With all the hands free technology today, there’s no excuse for holding your mobile phone whilst driving.
“The law needs updating to take this more seriously and a 12 month minimum driving ban, like is used for drink driving, would work better than a small fine.”
Another posted: “Too many still using phones I see it every day.”
Jae today (Wed) said: “I find it infuriating that despite knowing what damage and life changing consequences that anyone can cause, that people still choose to act dangerously behind the wheel, and even more so for professional drivers.”
A spokesman for Seymour Transport said: “We received a phonecall at the time on Friday Afternoon.
“She sent us the photographs. We went back to the caller to let her know the vehicle is ours but the driver was an agency driver.
“As a result we spoke to the agency about this and the agency relieved the driver of his contract.”
