Delivery driver caught driving with his foot on the dashboard while on a FaceTime call in police clampdown

A delivery driver caught driving with his foot on the dashboard while on a FaceTime call was among more than 50 motorists detected committing offences during a week-long policing operation in north Wales.

Officers from North Wales Police’s Roads Crime Unit took part in the crackdown dubbed Operation Tramline earlier this month, an initiative that uses an unmarked heavy goods vehicle (HGV) to identify dangerous driving behaviour on major routes.

The HGV tractor unit, provided by National Highways, allows trained officers to observe drivers from an elevated position and record offences on camera. Once a suspected offence is identified, officers on the ground stop the vehicle at the roadside or direct it to a checkpoint for further action.

Sergeant Danny Rees from the Roads Crime Unit said one incident stood out for its sheer recklessness.

“Unbelievably, a delivery driver in a box van was reported to be distracted while travelling on Rhuallt Hill,” he said. “When officers drew alongside the vehicle, they saw the driver had his right foot up on the dashboard, clearly relying on cruise control, while holding his mobile phone and engaging in a FaceTime call. He was also not wearing a seatbelt.

“This behaviour is reckless and wholly unacceptable. Without the use of the HGV cab, we would not have been able to see into his van, which demonstrates the real value of this operation.”

In another incident, officers stopped a commercial vehicle on the A483 after noticing the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. The driver subsequently tested positive for cannabis in a roadside drug test and was arrested on suspicion of drug driving. He was later released under investigation pending further test results.

Sergeant Rees said the operation highlighted ongoing concerns about driver behaviour on Welsh roads.

“Over 50 offences were identified, including mobile phone use, seatbelt offences and insecure loads. Using a mobile phone and failing to wear a seatbelt are two of the ‘Fatal Five’ – the most common causes of death and serious injury on our roads.

“Choosing to commit these offences puts not only the driver at risk, but also other innocent road users.”

Seatbelts

During the operation, officers recorded a total of 57 offences. These included 31 drivers not wearing seatbelts, 17 drivers using mobile phones while driving, two speeding offences, two insecure loads, two number plate offences, two cases of careless driving and one arrest for drug driving.

North Wales Police say road safety remains a priority and confirmed that Operation Tramline will continue to be used as both an enforcement and education tool.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility,” Sergeant Rees added. “We will continue to work with partners like National Highways to detect and deter dangerous driving and reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.”