- 2 days ago
Traffic Cops S13E06 (12th November 2025)
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00:00Police have some data! Stop!
00:02Driving is making off.
00:04Derbyshire traffic cops.
00:05Pull over in here now!
00:07Might be game on for something here.
00:09It's just gone. Go, go, go, go.
00:12Patrol some of the country's most dangerous roads.
00:15Speed is 4-0. The vehicle's all over the road.
00:19Driving head-on.
00:20He's up the kerb.
00:21Into danger.
00:22We just have warning markers for firearms.
00:25Vehicle's stolen.
00:26Get out of the car!
00:28Wow, good.
00:29Designed to look like a mobile phone.
00:31Don't pull away, fella.
00:33With rising crime rates.
00:35Here you go, here you go.
00:36Officers are under pressure.
00:38Stop! Get out of here!
00:40Go, Guna!
00:41Come out of here now!
00:42You're under arrest.
00:45Police!
00:46With lives on the line.
00:47We're going to need at least three or four ambulances.
00:51Is it fuel?
00:52Right, move away from this car now!
00:54The stakes are high.
00:56It isn't looking good at the minute.
00:57For the traffic cops.
00:59You've blown 128.
01:0011 minutes past two in the afternoon.
01:02You're under arrest.
01:03Conspicion of theft of motor vehicles.
01:05Do not run!
01:07Swat the officer!
01:09And there's a promise!
01:10All right.
01:13Coming up.
01:15Oh my God!
01:17Lorry's dangerously out of control.
01:20Oh!
01:21How would you not see that in that?
01:23I genuinely thought I was going to die.
01:24High-speed crashes.
01:26Crikey me!
01:27There's loads leaking in, mate.
01:29Recovery is going to be quite a big job.
01:32And...
01:33He went at full belt.
01:35Fast roads in lockdown.
01:37I reckon if you can't spread anything there and pull that door back.
01:40Puts the cops...
01:41No.
01:42No.
01:43...under pressure.
01:44You see how much chaos this causes.
01:47And it's all totally avoidable.
01:48Right in the heart of England,
02:06Derbyshire's road network is one of the busiest in the UK.
02:10It's all in order.
02:12That's what's it.
02:14For traffic cops like PC Alex Head,
02:16keeping the motorways moving is always a challenge.
02:23Derbyshire's a distribution hub
02:25because it's the centre of the country.
02:27A lot of our main arterial routes
02:29are very busy with heavy goods vehicles.
02:32Got to be checking up on lorries,
02:34making sure that they're driving safely.
02:39From now, I got to report of a lorry
02:41swerving all over the place,
02:44going in and out of the lanes.
02:46I'm surprised he's not gone into someone.
02:53On the M1,
02:54two officers spot a lorry swerving
02:56in and out of fast-moving traffic.
02:59Oh, my God.
03:01And it's just gone fourth lady.
03:03It almost went into a transit van.
03:05We are in a plain car with no lights.
03:07We've put hazards on,
03:08but we haven't got rear reds or rear blues.
03:10Pretty.
03:11The officers are in an unmarked car
03:15and can't pull the truck over
03:17until backup arrives.
03:18If there are any units in the area,
03:23can I keep an eye out for it, please?
03:24No, they're standing by.
03:25Yes, yes.
03:29Just passing Temple Normington now.
03:31Yeah, it's committed to...
03:34Heading up there now.
03:37Alex and traffic cop Chris Wells-Jackson
03:40are on their way to help stop the lorry.
03:43Bloody hell.
03:44All right, OK.
03:45It's just in the middle of lane one and two.
03:47This is actually this boringly bad driving.
03:51I want to buy a red six-shelf.
03:54The potential for serious injury or fatality
03:57when a HGV crashes on a motorway is immense.
04:02Oh, here you go.
04:03You've got a 40-ton lorry.
04:05The amount of force that hits that item with
04:07is absolutely devastating.
04:10Every week, four people are killed
04:13in crashes involving HGVs in the UK.
04:15He's having a hard shoulder, full-on hard shoulder.
04:20As the traffic cops race to catch up...
04:24He's just been full-on hard shoulder
04:26and just had to slam the anchors on.
04:27..the driver almost collides with the barrier.
04:30Stay back a bit if you can,
04:32cos if he topples over, we'll be straight to the tail.
04:36The worst that can happen is that this lorry
04:38loses control and crashes into another vehicle.
04:41Oh, God!
04:42If a 44-tonne lorry crashes into the back of your car,
04:47there's no coming back from that.
04:49Now, I'm guilty.
04:52We're about two miles from there,
04:55so hopefully we should just meet them just in time.
04:59Marked traffic officers are still two minutes away.
05:02Oh, God!
05:03This driver could be drunk
05:09or somebody who shouldn't be driving legally in the first place.
05:11He could just be tired.
05:13Oh, he's going again.
05:15There's a lot of things you're starting to consider,
05:18and obviously your main priority
05:19is the safety of other road users.
05:21I'm going to cross the arrow line.
05:23We'll just go on traffic down behind.
05:25A firearms unit catches up
05:30and holds the traffic back.
05:34Alex, we're coming on to these.
05:35That's the best over with.
05:37Yeah, received.
05:39While more units close in on the driver.
05:43Hello, man. It's been 5-0.
05:46He's going to know, isn't he?
05:47He's got to.
05:48He's got to know.
05:49He's been weaving around this way.
05:51I'm going to show you.
05:52Hello, Bill.
05:53We're just going to be doing a follow-me board
05:56just to sort of reinforce the message
05:58just in case he thinks they're doing anything stupid.
06:03Mark 1 mil driving.
06:05I'll take it offside.
06:06I'll take three of them.
06:08The lorry is directed off the motorway.
06:11Therefore, he's acknowledged.
06:12We will go into services then.
06:15Can I press it?
06:20And now your vehicle's stopped.
06:21Relief that it's now stopped
06:24and hopefully we can find out
06:26what's wrong with the driver.
06:27Hello, there.
06:28Come back and switch your engine off, please.
06:31Are you OK?
06:33I'm anticipating a driver
06:35who is unsteady on his feet,
06:38slow in his words.
06:40I've been terrible reports of your driving.
06:42There's a look level of nothing.
06:43OK.
06:44There is an issue.
06:45Are you OK?
06:46Yeah, I am OK.
06:47Are you OK?
06:48I'm not afraid of you.
06:51OK.
06:51Just in here for now, please.
06:53Do you have any alcohol today?
06:55No.
06:56OK.
06:57Just take a deep breath for me
06:58and blow through this tube for me.
06:59I'll hold the machine.
07:01Blow.
07:01Harder, harder, harder, harder, harder, harder.
07:03Thank you very much.
07:06Zero.
07:06It is a surprise.
07:09The breath test and also the drugs test
07:11both comes back with negative.
07:13The question now is
07:14what else is causing his driving to be like this?
07:20How long have you been driving for?
07:22Nine o'clock.
07:23Since nine o'clock?
07:24Yeah.
07:25OK.
07:25And what time did you go to bed last night?
07:30About nine hours.
07:32You've had nine hours sleep?
07:33Yeah.
07:33OK.
07:35It's still unclear why the man
07:37has been swerving across the motorway.
07:40Your driving's been very poor.
07:41Have you been distracted by anything inside the cab?
07:44Have you been trying to play with the radio
07:45or your phone or anything like that?
07:46No.
07:48Before, my jet's blood pressure is high.
07:52If you're suffering from a high blood pressure,
07:55that could cause a lack of coordination.
07:57So that might explain why your driving
07:59is all over the road.
08:01The officers suspect the man
08:03may not be taking some medication.
08:06I'm not happy.
08:07He's not driving this back to soon.
08:08All right.
08:10You've nearly had multiple collisions.
08:12You've been on and off the road.
08:14There's something to the reason to.
08:15We need to find out what.
08:17Time is 13.13.
08:19OK.
08:19You under arrest on suspicion
08:20of driving the vehicle
08:21in a dangerous manner.
08:24Oh, please.
08:24No, no, no.
08:26It's unsafe for the driver
08:28to continue his 50-mile journey
08:30to South Manchester.
08:32If he comes back off here
08:33and he needs someone,
08:34he needs a game over into it.
08:35Yeah.
08:36So the officers decide
08:38to bring him in for questioning.
08:40Come and have a seat
08:41in the back of our car.
08:42In the back of our car.
08:43Lorry drivers are professional drivers.
08:46Standards should be high for them.
08:48And I know a lot are professional
08:49in their day-to-day business,
08:51but unfortunately,
08:52this driver doesn't seem like he is.
08:55He says I was a bit tired.
08:56I was like, well,
08:57I must have to go out nine hours.
08:58His tack is only driving for an hour and a half.
09:02So someone's a miss, isn't he?
09:03Yeah.
09:12The male driver,
09:13he's passed all the drink and drugs tests,
09:16but there's something not quite right with him.
09:21He's been driving a fully loaded
09:22four-to-four tonne lorry.
09:24If he would have collided with somebody,
09:25it would have been a fatality.
09:27So it's a good job that we got it stopped
09:28and now we've got some difficult questions to answer.
09:40As you can see,
09:41the driver,
09:42he says that he's had enough rest
09:43and had a good nine hours worth of sleep.
09:46is currently asleep
09:47in the backseat of my police car.
09:50Time to wake up.
09:52You okay?
09:53Yeah, I am.
09:54Still tired?
09:56A little bit.
09:56A little bit.
09:58Enough to fall asleep in the middle of the day.
10:00Yeah?
10:01Okay.
10:01He claims he's fine to be driving his lorry.
10:05So,
10:06doesn't really seem so.
10:16Coming up...
10:17Time to wake up.
10:18The lorry driver...
10:19Listen...
10:20I am criminal.
10:21I am criminal.
10:22...faces a rude awakening.
10:23So let's...
10:24Just stop.
10:25Stop.
10:27And...
10:28A 44-tonne lorry plows into traffic.
10:32We were at Fort Bell.
10:34Bringing chaos to the M1.
10:36All this traffic, Bobby.
10:37All the way back up to Yorkshire now.
10:39The 44-tonne lorry driver is currently asleep in the backseat of my police car.
10:59PC Alex Head has brought in a lorry driver for questioning.
11:02After he nearly caused several high-speed crashes on the motorway.
11:12The driver is now asleep.
11:18It's the middle of the day.
11:20This is starting to point to a driver who is blatantly tired now.
11:26Time to wake up.
11:28The fact he's been driving for so long and had so many near misses.
11:32It's really quite worrying.
11:34Can I pay a reason for the gentleman being here, please?
11:37We've got reports that this gentleman was swerving all over the roads.
11:40And nearly been involved in several collisions.
11:42He's disclosed that he suffers from high blood pressure.
11:46He was arrested for dangerous driving.
11:48The police suspect the man hasn't been taking his medication.
11:52The necessity for his arrest was a prompt and effective investigation.
11:56To protect vulnerable persons, i.e. all the road users, and to protect himself.
11:59Because of the poor... due to the poor manner of his driving.
12:02Oh, it's due to blood pressure.
12:04Because little tires, okay, have eat, food.
12:08Therefore, I'm relaxing.
12:10Okay.
12:11The reason you're here is we've got to ask you some questions
12:14as to why your driving was in that poor manner.
12:17I'm going, crossing other cars.
12:20Not due to blood pressure.
12:24Because I am okay.
12:25That's it, okay.
12:26You can test my bad pressure, no problem.
12:28You can test, no problem.
12:30Listen.
12:30I am criminal.
12:31I am criminal.
12:32Calm down.
12:34I'm not saying you're a criminal.
12:36I've got to ask you some questions.
12:38Yeah, I am telling you to you, Bill.
12:41Just stop, stop.
12:43We'll get a solicitor for you, and then they'll come back in for an interview.
12:49Okay.
12:50I'm cool, mate.
12:53I'll have an interview, and then we'll get you out of here, okay?
12:56I'll have an interview, and then we'll get you out of here, okay?
13:26I'll have an interview, and then we'll get you out of here.
13:27I'll have an interview, and then we'll get you out of here.
13:28I'll have an interview, and then we'll get you out of here.
13:29We'll get you out of here.
13:30We'll get you out of here.
13:31How would you not see that in that?
13:32We're travelling at these speeds, with the motorway as busy as it is, we're very lucky
13:35that there's not been some sort of serious collision, and potentially a life-changing injury
13:39or fatality.
13:40Oh, dear God.
13:41He's now in hard shoulder, full on hard shoulder.
13:43This is the reason we've got to interview him and put it to him, because he's obviously not
13:50concentrating on something wrong which is making him swerve this badly.
13:55Here's our solicitor.
13:56It is a huge responsibility to be driving a 44-tonne lorry on our roads, just purely because
14:05if something goes wrong, the potential danger is a very serious injury.
14:10It's why the industry is heavily regulated.
14:13It's why you can't just jump in a lorry and just start driving.
14:19For road safety, HGV drivers can only drive for nine hours and must take regular breaks.
14:26That's good.
14:27Follow me.
14:28I've shown him the footage, which quite honestly is shocking.
14:33Oh, God!
14:35We are extremely lucky not to have a fatality today.
14:38I think when he's seen the video, he's actually become quite emotional.
14:44Get your head down.
14:45I'll come and see you in about an hour, hour and a half.
14:49Very surprisingly, he's just answered no comment to all the questions.
14:52But it's a silly thing to do.
14:53It was his opportunity to give his account as to why he's driving has been so poor.
14:58He's not done that, so now he's going to get charged with driving dangerously.
15:03The man could receive a minimum 12-month driving ban and face up to two years behind bars.
15:15Across Derbyshire, keeping the motorways moving is a constant challenge for the traffic cops,
15:21especially at peak times.
15:27It's morning rush hour.
15:32PC's Jack Pressland and Adam Hardy are heading out on patrol.
15:37Rush hour driving is a nightmare.
15:40You'll find when people are late, they're impatient.
15:43They'll take risks far more.
15:45Long queues affect how people react.
15:49Concentration levels drop.
15:51Therefore, they're driving carelessly.
15:53How many units that can start making their way to an RTC?
15:57It's just occurred in M1 motorway.
15:59Vehicles, a couple of lorries.
16:01I'll receive, thank you.
16:07There's been reports of a RTC involving two lorries.
16:11Came in as there was someone trapped.
16:14Just rush hour now, so on the motorway, it's going to be absolute carnage.
16:19So we just need to get there and see what we can do to get it open.
16:24Having the motorway closed for a period of time causes chaos.
16:29It costs a fortune.
16:32Motorway closures cost the UK economy billions of pounds every year.
16:36Overall, safety's priority.
16:38Get there, get some lanes running.
16:40Every minute we've got this closed, the tailback's going to go miles.
16:46Our first priority is to save life and limb.
16:50The second priority will be to keep the traffic moving.
16:53One's clear.
16:54Two's clear.
16:55Go.
16:56We're on the M1, one of the main arterial routes up and down the country.
17:00The longer that we keep that motorway closed, the more carnage it's causing.
17:07If you look on the right now, we're just passing the accident, so we've got to go up and do the turn around.
17:15And that Arctic's got quite a lot of damage.
17:22With Jack and Adam en route...
17:24Time for three.
17:25Stage six.
17:27Other officers are already on scene, where two lorries and two smashed cars are involved.
17:35A driver is trapped in the wreckage.
17:40Just going to close the slip.
17:42People are trying to dive in last minute.
17:44Yeah, I agree with you.
17:46Sergeant Scott Riley and Alex Head are forced to close off access to the motorway.
17:51The club's holding out for me and you've told on fast.
17:53Go.
17:55Any fast road a road's policing officer hates.
17:58It's dangerous, it's fast-paced.
18:00You've always got to have your head on the tilt.
18:02No, no.
18:06Got through now.
18:07Got through now.
18:08Got through now.
18:13As Jack and Adam arrive, the casualty in the blue vehicle is still trapped.
18:20Hello.
18:21So we've got RTC.
18:22Yeah.
18:23Could be multiple casualties.
18:25Right.
18:26We've got this part of the accident contained in the slip road here.
18:30Yeah.
18:31And then you've got the HGV further up the road.
18:35He's got damage.
18:37We've not spoken to the driver of that toyota.
18:40Toyota.
18:41Lovely.
18:44When we have to close a part of the motorway, it's to gather the information.
18:49We don't do it if we can help it, but unfortunately sometimes we have to.
18:52All right.
18:53We've got spreaders in there and pull that door back.
18:55They pull that door back.
18:56They pull that door.
19:01While the fire service struggle to free the injured man in the blue car.
19:06Who's the ranger?
19:08I'll have a chat with you.
19:10Jack tries to find out what caused the crash.
19:14What's happened?
19:15I'm actually on the slip road.
19:16Yeah.
19:18This blue car's come behind me.
19:21And then next thing I know, I'm going forward now.
19:25After hitting the black car from behind, the blue vehicle has ended up ahead of it.
19:30Right.
19:31So you've been behind that wagon.
19:33You've then felt a whack from the blue car.
19:36Spot on.
19:37I'll get your details.
19:38We'll have to breath of lies here and go from there.
19:42It's been 15 minutes since the collision.
19:45But the closed lanes can't be reopened until the driver's freed
19:49and the cops carry out their investigation.
19:52I'm going to require you to grab me a specimen breath for an LSSK.
19:54Blow on that mate until I take a stop.
19:57They need to find out if any of the drivers have been drinking.
20:00That's it mate.
20:02When it's a multi-vehicle road traffic collision, it's time consuming.
20:06There's vehicles to get recovered.
20:08There's witnesses to speak to, which then means obviously further tailbacks.
20:14Present for you.
20:15Zero mate.
20:16Sit tight.
20:17We'll get it all sorted from there mate.
20:19Alright.
20:20The longer we keep that motorway closed, the more potential there is for accidents further
20:24down the road.
20:25So, it's quite stressful.
20:27We need the information, but we also need to get this traffic moving.
20:33You're doing everything you can do.
20:34Yeah.
20:35If you can't get out past this post, we can put this post out.
20:38After being trapped for 40 minutes, the young driver is finally free.
20:42You can pull the back or up the back.
20:49And can be assessed by the paramedics.
20:53How are you?
20:54How are you?
20:55How are you?
20:56How are you?
20:57I'm well.
20:58Better.
20:59Better, yeah.
21:00Jack checks on the casualty.
21:03What's happened?
21:05Someone came into the back of the trucking front.
21:07I tried swerving.
21:14Was you stationary or moving?
21:16Not.
21:17No.
21:19What was in front of you?
21:22That's funny.
21:24Cheers, guys. Thank you.
21:26With the driver of the blue car claiming he was also hit from behind.
21:30Who's driving this one?
21:31Lovely.
21:32Jack speaks to the driver of the dumper truck.
21:35The traffic was solid on the slick road.
21:37I was stood there.
21:38I had moved.
21:39Yeah.
21:39And then I looked in my mirror and I seen the wagon.
21:43He come to get off at this junction.
21:46He went full belt.
21:47He hit the blue car first and then pushed him into us.
21:54Hey, old dude.
21:56The driver of the Arctic lorry is being blamed for the accident.
22:00Erm, what's happened?
22:02They're shooting out of the road there, checking the mirror on this side like.
22:05And they turn around again and just notice the traffic all stopped up.
22:09They didn't go anywhere.
22:10Try to avoid him like and just run into the back of it.
22:13So you need to do this for me very quick.
22:15Well, on that, mate, I tell you to stop.
22:17Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going.
22:24Zero, mate.
22:26Everyone's alright.
22:27Yeah.
22:28So that's the main thing.
22:29That's the main thing, isn't it?
22:29Yeah.
22:30If the lorry driver is at fault, he could receive nine points on his license and a hefty fine.
22:36Is that, what's that for?
22:37That's what that's coming, yeah.
22:38I'm going to get my colleague.
22:39That's the K-O Valley guy.
22:40Spot on.
22:40Cheers, mate.
22:42Scott will examine the footage back at the station.
22:45Who wants that?
22:46Dash down.
22:48After he's reopened the motorway.
22:50Looking back at the traffic there, you can see how much chaos this causes.
22:54And it's all totally avoidable.
22:57I'm going to get you to do that.
22:58Yeah.
22:59Put us a rolling block on while we clear all that debris.
23:01Got it.
23:01It's almost an hour since the crash, and the officers are under pressure to clear the motorway.
23:09Are you boys nearly ready to roll?
23:10Yes, we're going now.
23:11We're getting out of your way.
23:12All southbound traffic will be stopped so the debris can be cleared.
23:17Don't know how long the tailback's going to go, but it is rushed out of traffic.
23:20We're putting a rolling roadblock on to get all the fire service out.
23:24We'll just make it nice and easy for them and get them away.
23:29Once we get this swept, cleared, the full carriageway will be open, plus one lane on the slip.
23:34So within 30 minutes, all this traffic that's probably all the way back up to Yorkshire now, we'll be cleared.
23:40All right, let's leave it at that.
23:43A bit more fair up here.
23:46Yeah, I'm happy now.
23:47The injured casualties on the way to hospital.
23:50Within an hour, we've got it all dealt with, and we've got the network back running.
23:56Tell you what, it's all green weather.
23:59I'm going, us gingers aren't made for this weather.
24:10Have you spoken to the member of the public?
24:13Who's been here?
24:14Yeah.
24:16As Sergeant Scott Riley and PC Adam Hardy return with the dash cam footage,
24:21there's an update on the injured driver's condition.
24:24He's broke his back.
24:27He was due to go on holiday, but he's bedbound.
24:30Lucky to be alive there.
24:32Yeah.
24:34This is the dash cam inside the lorry.
24:36A witness blames the lorry driver for the collision.
24:49He's got no chance, have they?
24:52Why does he do that?
24:54Show us again.
24:57The lorry is travelling at 48 miles per hour as it collides with queuing traffic.
25:06He's not seen him at all, has he?
25:08No.
25:09If he'd not swerved, it'd be a different story, wouldn't it?
25:15It'd be much worse.
25:16Lucky it's not fatal.
25:17Yeah.
25:20He's, in an interview, has said that he did not see the queuing traffic until the very last minute.
25:26He's lucky, of course, it'd have been death by the UK, wouldn't it, if he'd not swerved.
25:31The lorry driver will be investigated for careless driving.
25:35It's horrendous to watch.
25:37You're talking about a really large heavy goods vehicle hitting a stationary, smaller vehicle that's just got no chance really to react.
25:46He did say he's been driving for lorries for 30 years and not had one incident.
25:50He was quite remorseful of it and he did say that he's going to hand his lorry to get in and no longer drive lorries.
25:56This is a big responsibility into driving a lorry.
25:58It's horrible, isn't it?
26:07Coming up...
26:08Wow.
26:09Something you don't see every day, isn't it?
26:10The cops make a worrying discovery.
26:13They didn't mention the massive smell of diesel.
26:15And work through the night to try and avert a disaster.
26:18This is going to take hours.
26:22And...
26:23Oh, bloody hell.
26:24Matt is called to a crash.
26:26They've just wiped out all of the top of the lorry.
26:28But the driver and the rest of the vehicle have vanished.
26:32We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:34We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:38We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:40We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:44We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:46We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:47We should go and see if we can find them parked now.
26:48Police emergency.
26:49Yeah.
26:50I'll send that now.
26:51Patrol from Sierra 1, if we've got any obstacle for us to our units.
26:53After you see on the A-50, the lorry that's crashed.
26:54Caller is reporting a fire.
26:55Can't see the driver out of the vehicle, so they think he's still in the cab.
27:082-8 on route.
27:12Traffic cop Matt Cork has been called to a crashed lorry on fire, with the driver potentially
27:17trapped inside.
27:19If you're not fully focused on what you're doing on the driving, it literally takes
27:24a split second.
27:25Before you know it, you've got what could be a fatal collision.
27:40As Matt arrives...
27:42Help!
27:44The lorry's in there.
27:46There's no sign of a fire.
27:48The lorry driver's there.
27:49Right, okay.
27:50I'll be round the other side in a sec.
27:52And a passing motorist has pulled the driver from the wreckage.
27:56Yeah, lorry driver's out.
27:57He's sat on the Armco barrier with a member of the public.
28:01Yes, I'll receive.
28:03I'll get some safety on, Paul.
28:07Matt closes lane one of the busy dual carriageway to keep everyone safe.
28:11The driver's conscious and breathing, possibly has passed out a little bit.
28:21Traffic cop Adam Shipley is already on scene, tending to the driver.
28:25I've never experienced anything like that.
28:28The wheels went, and I tried to control it.
28:30Yeah.
28:31But when it starts to go, you're just like a passenger, aren't you?
28:35Not when you've got no wheel.
28:37Feel safe.
28:38Yeah, you all do.
28:39That's like a shock and whatever went through, isn't it?
28:41I'm thinking, has he been distracted?
28:45Has he gone too fast?
28:46Has he panicked, slammed his brakes on, swerved, and, you know, gone into the ditch?
28:51There's all sorts of different things that go through your mind that what could have caused it.
28:56I genuinely thought I was going to die.
29:00My mate's going to run you to hospital.
29:01I'll get you to hospital.
29:03As another officer takes the driver for a check-up.
29:06Nice one.
29:07Adam and Matt turn their attention to the crash.
29:14Crikey, me.
29:16Something you don't see every day, isn't it?
29:18Wow.
29:20Has anyone mentioned the massive smell of diesel?
29:23Yeah, it smells of fuel.
29:25We've got the added complication of the diesel and oil.
29:28Corky.
29:29Yeah.
29:30There's loads leaking in, mate.
29:31Fuel.
29:32The river's black down here.
29:34Right.
29:35We've got, potentially, hundreds more litres of fuel in the back, which is obviously flammable.
29:40We need to be aware and basically just keep our wits about us.
29:44Hey, Tanger 28.
29:45Go ahead.
29:46We've been able to confirm there is oil leaking into this watercourse.
29:50Might need to get DFS out.
29:52Yeah, no worries. I'll do that.
29:54Can someone ring me DFS as well, please?
29:56The fire service is called to help deal with the hazardous leak.
30:02There's potential fluid leaks, be that fuel, be that oil.
30:06On top of that, we've got a 44-ton truck being propped up by a lamppost.
30:11And in the grand scheme of things, some relatively small trees.
30:16A recovery on something like this is going to be quite a big job.
30:19This is going to take hours.
30:22Yeah, this is going to be an all-night job, isn't it?
30:32Hang on, Paul. How are you?
30:34The tractor unit itself has got a full tank, about 200 litres diesel.
30:38It's leaking down there.
30:39Yeah, and it's all running into a watercourse.
30:42You don't know where it's leaking from?
30:44No, we've got recovery on route.
30:46I've tried to get Environment Agency involved, with regards to the watercourse.
30:52We'll have a look, see if they can do with the diesel.
30:55The concern is if it gets into any drinking water source.
30:59All the fire service trucks, they carry an Environment Agency-like go bag,
31:03in case these sort of things happen.
31:06What's the plan then? Try and make a bit of a dam then, is it?
31:09Put it in there and try and stop the oil going down.
31:11Yeah, they've basically got the shovels out, dug some earth up, chucked some earth in,
31:16used these like big bags and they've created like a little dam.
31:22While the fire service attempts to stop the fuel from spreading.
31:26There are, look, another part of that ratchet.
31:29Matt and Adam try to work out what caused the crash.
31:33Obviously, the lorry driver's come along in his, you know, in his own ambition.
31:37There's an item in the road, doesn't know what it is.
31:40The working theory at the minute is that, is it this ratchet strap?
31:44I imagine he's picked up that ratchet strap in one of his wheels, spun it round, locked up his axles.
31:50And unfortunately, it's meant that he's just whipped him straight off into the end of the growth.
31:54It's incredible, really, that basically a bit of fabric with a big metal buckle on the end has, has potentially caused this.
32:03Just fallen off the back of another truck, probably minutes before, and it's potentially caused a really serious, serious collision.
32:11It, it could have killed somebody.
32:12Half past, you'll have it all sorted. Yeah, yeah.
32:14You're ready for 20 minutes. Yeah.
32:15The timing, yeah.
32:16Two and a half hours after the crash, recovery arrives.
32:17They're going to have to get some sort of, I don't think I'll just pull it back.
32:18They're going to have to right it first. Yeah.
32:19They're going to have to shut both lanes and they're going to be shut for hours, I would have thought, by the time they drink it out.
32:22As the lorry's recovered, the cops close all eastbound traffic on the A50.
32:23Three o'clock, you know, isn't it? It's an hour or two, so it's just getting busy.
32:24Just three hours before the morning rush hour.
32:25They'll try and let it go.
32:26Yeah.
32:27Yeah.
32:28Yeah.
32:29Yeah.
32:30Yeah.
32:31Yeah.
32:32Yeah.
32:33Yeah.
32:34Yeah.
32:35Yeah.
32:36Yeah.
32:37Yeah.
32:38Yeah.
32:39Yeah.
32:40Yeah.
32:41Yeah.
32:42Yeah.
32:43Yeah.
32:44Yeah.
32:45Yeah.
32:46Yeah.
32:47Yeah.
32:48Yeah.
32:49Yeah.
32:50It's kind of seven hours due at the morning rush hour.
32:51They'll try and lift it now.
32:52It could either work or if it doesn't they're going to have to have a rethink.
33:01Seven hours after the crash, the lorry is finally lifted from the ditch.
33:05It's proper cave up left-sided, aren't it?
33:09Guy really has been lucky.
33:14Already locked.
33:16near side front tire is delaminated and exploded essentially so it could actually be that the
33:22ratchet is one that he's run over which has caused a you know a blowout and that sudden
33:28loss of control on that front near side tire could have caused it to veer off before he's
33:32had a chance to grab hold of it and get control of it these things happen if it had been a motorbike
33:38or a car that's hit it you know could have been even worse the accident is not down to driver
33:44error looking at it in the daylight that impact has been literally directly in front of him so no
33:50further action will be taken against the lorry driver it's astounding that he's walked out of it
33:55with the injuries that he's got or the lack of injuries after being on scene for over seven
34:02hours matt and adam can reopen the road and head home environment agency have been informed about it
34:09hopefully they'll not be long and they can sort of prevent the spread of it and look at getting
34:15cleaned up oh i can't wait it's going back yeah i'm ready for my bed mate
34:20coming up oh bloody hell a young lorry driver i'd ask what's happened but i think it's fairly obvious
34:29oh man i'm fuming makes a costly error and i've been working for him for two or three months
34:34my first ever car accident luckily one in my car
34:38go to please utopston new road traffic cop matt cork is back on shift
35:00matt is on his way to a known hot spot for accidents with large vehicles
35:29in derby city centre
35:31i remember probably come in a lorry or some sort of high top van crashed into a low bridge
35:38supposedly there's bits of this van everywhere so he's obviously hit it at some speed and uh
35:42causing a bit of mayhem in the city
35:45i've personally seen an increase in collisions and incidents that the sole reason it's happened
35:52is people just not paying attention people not focusing where they need to be focusing
35:57on arriving i was instantly trying to sort of piece together what was going on because the
36:11information at that point was a vehicle crashing into a bridge
36:15hey folks how are we
36:17i was gonna say
36:20oh bloody hell that's not your van then
36:24i'm looking for the van that's lost that you see
36:27oh no i didn't want to risk it
36:29no you're not the van i'm looking for
36:31hey thank you to it
36:34it's already left it has left some of the debris there
36:37appears to be the top of the van looks like a luton's type van
36:41yes they damaged the bridge or anything
36:44just about to have a look at that
36:46before matt can assess the bridge
36:49there's a risk of another accident
36:52hey oh i don't know how tall are you
36:56well that that's 2.5 meters so in which case you'll have half a meter spare if that's the case
37:01how do you know it's two meters
37:10it's something that you should know isn't it driving this vehicle because we've now got vehicles stuck behind us
37:16there's no significant damage to this bridge
37:24it's going to sweep up some of the carbon fiber off the road underneath
37:27there's only minor damage to the bridge
37:32but matt still needs to find the driver who's lost their roof
37:35there's a sign right before that junction that says it's a two and a half meter height limit
37:40there's a big bridge with a loan assignees that says this is the height restriction
37:44somebody's obviously come at it at such a speed
37:47that they've just wiped out the whole of the top of the lorry
37:49so we should go and see if we can find them parked to put the other end now
37:52hey paul
38:06are you the driver
38:08yeah i was
38:09yeah that's what's happened but i think it's fairly obvious isn't it
38:13oh my fuming i was just following the sat-nav in fact there's not even guidelines on that side
38:18there's two signs there's a sign before the junction that says height restriction
38:24and there's a sign on the bridge that says height restriction
38:2729 year old delivery driver jamie has called his office
38:31i've been to plenty of incidents where vehicles have tried to get through gaps that they can't fit through
38:53i can't say i've ever been to a job that has resulted in the level of damage that this one done
39:00i know i need to observe a more but
39:02yeah
39:03it can happen
39:04if you're not fully focused on what you're doing
39:06it literally takes a split second for it all to start going wrong
39:10right i'm gonna grab some photos and i'm thinking i'm probably gonna get you shifted out from there
39:18i can move it
39:19yeah
39:21i've been driving for four or five hours and i'm not tired of anything like that but i'm just following the sat-nav
39:26i didn't even notice the signs
39:29the next thing i know i've hit a bridge
39:32i just felt awful for my boss and i've been working for him for two or three months
39:37he hadn't had the ban long either
39:40my first ever car accident
39:42luckily it wasn't in my car
39:45right jamie i'm gonna be straight with you i'm not gonna make you do any better
39:49i'll do it
39:50it's your responsibility is driving to know the height of your vehicle
39:53i appreciate it might be a new vehicle to you
39:55um
39:56yeah
39:57because of what you've done
39:59i'm gonna be reporting you for driving without due care and attention
40:01you'll get a letter through the post
40:03on that letter will give their decision on whether you're going to get three points to
40:07find or whether you get a driver awareness course
40:12matt needs to get the wrecked lorry out of the road so it can be recovered safely
40:17just take it dead dead dead slow
40:24for him there's obviously embarrassment
40:26you want to start your manoeuvre
40:28nice and steady
40:30he's gonna have quite a um
40:32quite a difficult conversation with his new boss
40:35keep coming back
40:36try and get it as close to the curb as you can
40:40best case scenario for jamie will be a driver awareness course but
40:43i don't know how much of a syllabus they do on
40:45not taking the top of your van off
40:51right mate
40:52you're gonna wait with it
40:53until your recovery comes aren't you
40:55yeah
40:56it's fine mate yeah
40:57all right
40:58sound
40:59thanks jamie all the best
41:00hope your luck improves
41:02that's the first one in two days
41:07christ
41:08yeah
41:09yeah it's matt
41:10matt heads to a shop across the road to look for any cctv evidence
41:14yeah
41:16i heard it and i saw it go speeding under
41:21i was like
41:22really
41:23yeah
41:24can you not see the sign
41:26you can just see it there
41:28yeah that's the one
41:30oh
41:40but it happens all the time
41:42they just don't look at the height
41:44but yeah so it's just crazy
41:48that's all that it does
41:51she stops there watching it all the time
41:53i'm sure he's fibbing
41:54i bet you're hardest worker innit
41:56thank you
41:57yeah
41:57i appreciate you if your boss doesn't
42:01highways will clear up the rubbish on the side of the road
42:05this is something that shouldn't have happened and could have easily been avoided by
42:08the driver actually looking at his surroundings
42:11assessing the road in front of him
42:13and taking any of the three other routes away from that road
42:18with lorry drivers responsible for almost a quarter of all fatalities on
42:27fast roads
42:29keeping them safe and on the move is a regular challenge for derbyshire's traffic cops
42:34lorries can be killing machines
42:37it will hurt you or it will hurt someone else if you drive it in a manner that you shouldn't be
42:42it's a huge responsibility for someone to be driving a 40 ton lorry and that's why we have such strict rules and guidelines
42:51if a lorry crashes into a car it can shut the whole major road network down
42:58effects from even closing a single lane not just massive
43:01you want the roads running free and clear and people getting where they want to safely
43:05but it's part of that sometimes unfortunately we do have to close roads
43:09it's not a thing we want to do but it's a thing we have to do
43:11in this episode
43:17it's just been full on hard shoulder and just had to slam the anchors on
43:21the lorry driver swerving in and out of traffic on the motorway
43:25was charged with dangerous driving
43:30he received a 12 month suspended sentence and a 18 month driving ban
43:35he was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work
43:40the lorry driver who crashed into stationary traffic on the motorway
43:48he's not seen him at all has he no
43:51is still under investigation for causing serious injury by careless driving
43:56the trapped motorist sustained a fractured back three broken ribs and a punctured lung
44:04that's it
44:06he's been discharged from hospital but is still in recovery
44:10and
44:13oh bloody hell
44:14the young motorist who smashed his lorry into a bridge
44:17i'd ask what's happened but i think it's fairly obvious isn't it
44:20oh my i'm fuming
44:21was summoned to court and prosecuted for driving without due care and attention
44:25there's a sign before the junction that says height restriction
44:28and there's a sign on the bridge that says height restriction
44:30he was given six points on his license
44:33a 440 pound fine and was responsible for the court costs
44:38all the best hope your luck improves pal
44:40all the best hope you can
44:41poll
44:58oh
45:01Transcription by CastingWords
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