By KLTV Newsdesk –

Police highlight bizarre justifications as they crack down on the ‘Fatal Five’ causes of road collisions

Not wanting to spill a pot of sauce balanced on the steering wheel has been named one of the worst excuses for bad driving given to West Yorkshire Police.

Officers had stopped the motorist after witnessing them swerving across lanes and carrying out a poor overtaking manoeuvre, putting lives at risk.

Other startling excuses included a man found riding his mobility scooter on a motorway, telling officers it was “the fastest way home”, and a motorist caught speeding who explained it was because “they were tired”.

Tackling the ‘Fatal Five’

These are just some of the excuses shared with the county’s Road Policing Unit, who are focused on reducing the main contributory factors behind serious road traffic collisions.

Known as the ‘Fatal Five’, these are:

• Careless driving

• Drink and drug driving

• Not wearing a seatbelt

• Using a mobile phone

• Speeding

In West Yorkshire, careless driving alone contributes to more than half of all fatal and serious injuries on the roads.

West Yorkshire’s Road Policing Unit share some of the most bizarre excuses they’ve heard for bad driving over the years

“A single moment of distraction can have catastrophic consequences”

Roads Policing lead Chief Inspector James Farrar said: “Roads policing officers regularly have to deal with the aftermath of fatal and serious injury collisions, and so many of these involve at least one of the Fatal Five offences.

“We urge everybody who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle to be aware of the life-changing consequences their behaviour can have, for themselves and others. Just a single moment of distraction can have catastrophic consequences.

“As a force, we are committed to educating motorists on the dangers, but we will not hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate.”

Vision Zero: Driving deaths to be eliminated by 2040

West Yorkshire Police are part of Vision Zero, a local partnership initiative aiming to reduce all road deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2040.

Alison Lowe OBE, Chair of the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Partnership and the region’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said: “The Road Policing Unit are a fantastic set of officers dedicated to ensuring we can all get around safely.

“The fatal five are the most common and most easily avoided issues on our roads, all stemming from poor choices.

“Everyone has a role in road safety, and by avoiding the fatal five, you can help ensure no one suffers the devastation of death or serious injury.

“You can also assist officers by submitting footage of dangerous driving through Op Snap and by committing to being a safe driver through signing the Vision Zero Pledge.”

Policing One of Europe’s Busiest Road Networks

The Roads Policing Unit (RPU) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing safety across West Yorkshire’s extensive road network.

This includes the M62, M1, M621, M606, A1 and A1(M) – more than 213 carriageway miles in some of the country’s most challenging environments.

Their key priorities include:

• Patrolling the roads

• Disrupting criminality

• Reducing road casualties

• Counter terrorism

• Tackling anti-social driving