Motorway Cops Catching Britain's Speeders S01E03
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00:00It's 2.30 p.m. in Warrington and another arrest
00:05whilst driving under the influence of drugs.
00:07Just a quick interview.
00:09For PC Mike Clark, this is all too common.
00:12It's the daily use of this fella, like he's admitted to.
00:15I'm guessing that's going to be a stash of herbal cannabis in there.
00:19Skunk is quite pungent. It normally gives itself away.
00:22For now, the suspected drug driver is off the road,
00:26but every day in the UK, 58 people are convicted of this crime,
00:31and that number is on the rise.
00:39With deaths and serious injuries caused by accidents on our roads
00:42on the increase, it's no wonder that around a quarter of all UK vehicles
00:47now have dashcams fitted.
00:50It's just crashed. It's crashed upside down.
00:53And the great British public are capturing outrageous driving on camera.
01:02Across the country, motorway cops are relying more and more
01:05on the evidence of dashcams uploaded to them.
01:09What's that, Walt? 301 over five.
01:12In this series... You haven't got a dashcam, have you?
01:15Conscious and breathing, being seen to by fire and ambulance,
01:18possible spinal injuries.
01:20Whoa, whoa, whoa!
01:21..we follow them.
01:22I didn't saw that. Oh, my God!
01:26Oh, my God!
01:28Oh, my God!
01:30Oh, my God!
01:32Oh, my God!
01:34Oh, my God!
01:37As they crack down on Britain's bad drivers.
01:42Tonight, they have their hands full with a pair of motorists
01:45that are seeing red...
01:47I'm not speaking to this man. No, no, he's not going to be aggressive now.
01:50See, this is what I have to put up with.
01:52..deal with a flashy driver who's flirting with the law...
01:55You've just told me you're married. It's too late, I'm telling you.
01:58Flattery doesn't get you anywhere.
02:00..and a suspected drug dealer is lost for words.
02:04When you write, like, information on my vehicle about drugs...
02:18PC Mike Clark takes pride in every aspect of his job.
02:23I've never lost a key.
02:25It's not been forced open yet, you know,
02:27so I'm quite happy there's no dents in it and it's not been forced open.
02:35He's been in the force for 18 years.
02:39I'm Generation Four now, with cops in my family,
02:42so it kind of spurred me on that that was what I wanted to do.
02:45I get satisfaction of taking the dangerous people off the roads
02:49and out of circulation.
02:59To help officers like Mike get great results,
03:02they rely on cutting-edge technology,
03:04like automatic number plate recognition cameras.
03:09It is a major tool that we use.
03:11It can be used in lots of different ways.
03:14It can draw our attention onto something
03:16that we wouldn't necessarily stop.
03:18So it is an extra pair of eyes,
03:20but it can scan every single vehicle that we pass.
03:25It's 2pm and Mike's onboard ANPR camera
03:28alerts him to a suspicious vehicle.
03:33It's all uniform 7-5.
03:35If you can hear me, move your chair, please.
03:45Mike's check with the police computer
03:47has revealed that the driver could be involved in drugs.
03:53You've got to have eyes on them all the time.
03:56Obviously, some have got weapons.
03:58Concentration level goes up.
04:03There are nearly 11,000 ANPR cameras operating in the UK.
04:08They help Britain's police forces stop the criminals on our roads.
04:17Officers in Cambridge captured this dangerous driver
04:21who mounted the footpath to evade arrest.
04:24He was convicted of multiple motoring offences,
04:27including drug driving,
04:29and sentenced to one year in prison and ban for 42 months.
04:40The car PC Mike Clark is following
04:43has turned into a residential area.
04:46He needs to be ready for anything.
04:55Hi, buddy. Your car, is it?
04:58Right, I've stopped you, mate. OK.
05:00There's information on your vehicle about drugs.
05:06If you're on the road, mate, then I can stop you at any time.
05:11You seem a bit nervous there, mate.
05:19Right.
05:20I'm not being weird, mate.
05:22How am I being weird?
05:25You're known for drugs, aren't you?
05:32Because of how you're reacting,
05:34I'm going to detain you for the purpose of the search.
05:37OK, mate.
05:39I'm going to detain you for the purpose of the search
05:42under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
05:45I'm PC 4239 Clark.
05:47If you come and take a seat in my car, mate.
05:49Because of the way that you're acting, mate.
05:51Because you're being like this with me for no reason.
05:53I've been perfectly civil with you, mate.
05:55Have a seat.
05:59On Britain's roads, the recent use of dashcam
06:03has been essential in documenting
06:05the shocking behaviour of many drivers.
06:08From reckless speeding...
06:11..total disregard for other vehicles...
06:15..to life-threatening stupidity.
06:21..on and off the road.
06:28PC Mike Clark has followed a vehicle that has links to drug crime.
06:37The driver's argumentative behaviour
06:40has left Mike with no option but to handcuff him
06:43whilst he detains him for questioning.
06:46Right, mate, I'm going to ask you straight.
06:48Do you use drugs at all?
06:49I smoke weed, yeah. That's it.
06:51OK. When's the last time that you've used weed?
06:53Not today. I don't smoke in the daytime.
06:55I only smoke at night-time, that's it.
06:57OK. Was it last night, then?
06:59Yeah, it'd have been last night. OK.
07:01If you drug test me, that's going to just come up anyway, innit?
07:04Even though I smoked last night. It may do, it may not do.
07:07This only indicates if it's picked up something in your system.
07:10Well, it's going to obviously pick up something in my system.
07:13Well, the night you're driving the car, mate,
07:15I'll be honest with you, I don't drive in the car.
07:17I smoked last night, not today.
07:19If you roll your tongue round, mate, just pop your tongue out,
07:21I'll take a scrape in on it.
07:22On average, on these tests, I tell everyone who I deal with,
07:26if you're using it on a regular basis, it can show up to four days.
07:34Whilst Mike carries on questioning the driver,
07:37other officers arrive to search the driver's car.
07:43I'm being detained for no reason. I feel like I'm being bullied here.
07:47Is there going to be any drugs in your car, mate,
07:49any weed or anything like that?
07:51No, I don't drive, I haven't got nothing in my car, bro.
07:57Right, outside my house, I'm full of all my neighbours as well.
08:00The driver's story that he's done nothing wrong
08:03quickly unravels as evidence is found.
08:06He's got a large amount of cash, probably a grand plus.
08:09Oh, right, OK.
08:10That's from when I bought the car.
08:12I sold my car and bought that car that he's left over.
08:16Oh, is there?
08:22Well, what, the 50s, then?
08:23What?
08:24And the 100 and...
08:31It's nothing to do with drugs, then?
08:33All right, OK.
08:37But the discovery of cash and the book
08:39is enough evidence for Mike to make an arrest.
08:42All right, mate, as in the moment now, then,
08:44I'm arresting you on suspicion of money laundering,
08:47Section 5A, which is positive on the drug spike.
08:51Positive for cannabis, OK?
08:54I just want to loosen off his cuff a bit, cos it's a bit snug.
08:58Yeah, isn't it? Well, I don't know what you mean.
09:02If we've got information that the person's stealing
09:05and the fact that he had cash on him,
09:07was he confirmed that he actually lived at the address?
09:10Hello?
09:11That was enough that we could bring him in and do a house search.
09:14It's a strong evidence that he might have drugs at the home address.
09:17As we walked in, overwhelming stink of cannabis.
09:24That's a spice, isn't it?
09:26Yeah.
09:28That's a spice, is it? Kitchen spices, or is it...?
09:31That's stupid stuff that they're mixing with it all now.
09:35That's CHC, isn't it? No wonder he looked nervous.
09:38There's a film in the back bedroom.
09:40And it's not long before Mike finds what he's been looking for.
09:45Skunk.
09:49Mike has seized thousands of pounds of cannabis,
09:52disrupted part of Cheshire's illegal drug trade,
09:55and taken a suspected dealer off the streets.
09:58All from information provided by ANPR cameras.
10:11It just shows you how things will snowball
10:13off a bit of information from the public.
10:17Back at the station, Mike logs all the evidence he's found.
10:23Adults normally pay in tens and 20s in drugs.
10:27If you've got big jars of pound coins all around your house,
10:31that tells me it's kids that are giving you that money.
10:35This is part of the haul that we've had out of Section 18
10:39on the search of the home address.
10:41There's obviously quite a large amount of cut-up cannabis there.
10:44It's ready, it can be sold on.
10:46But more interestingly, this is the first time I've seen
10:49this is liquid cannabis.
10:51Obviously not the THC stuff that people buy now,
10:54but it's proper cannabis that's been infused into liquids
10:58and passed off as sphinx bottles.
11:01If you're a parent of someone and you see these in your room,
11:05then you wouldn't automatically think drugs.
11:07All in all, hard day's work at the end of it,
11:09but I'm really glad that we've got this off the street.
11:12Obviously, someone else will take his place in the morning
11:15and we'll try and get them as well.
11:17Ongoing battle. It's like brushing back the sea.
11:26After a busy morning patrolling Cheshire's highways,
11:29PC Amy Hollis pulls in for a pit stop.
11:33It's a hot day. I haven't had a rest for a little bit,
11:36so we're just going to nip into Hapsford.
11:39There's never a good time to get a break, really,
11:41because anything could be going on at any point.
11:44We are never off duty.
11:46It isn't great sometimes when you are bursting for the loo
11:49or if you're gasping for a drink, but it's just the way it goes.
11:54But as she parks up, something catches her eye.
11:58A red Lamborghini's just pulled up
12:00and I've just noticed they haven't got a front registration plate,
12:04so we're just going to go have a chat with them
12:06and see what we've got to say about that.
12:10Where's your front plate and your back plate?
12:13And your back plate is incorrect, I believe.
12:15That's illegal. It's too dark.
12:17It's a gold plate. It needs to be yellow on the back.
12:20The front plate, I'm afraid, is necessity.
12:23I'll forgive the back one for now.
12:25You're going to be getting a ticket for the front one, I'm afraid.
12:28So it's going to be a traffic offence report.
12:30I'll just grab your driving licence and I'll go and get my paperwork, OK?
12:34I mean, you have to have front and back number plates, to be honest.
12:37I wasn't aware that the back plate was an issue, if I'm honest,
12:40but I don't have any special fix input
12:42because of the type of car it is for the front number plate.
12:45Just so I'm clear, it's the yellow that we're not happy with?
12:48Yeah, it's gold, OK? It hasn't got a manufacturer's mark on it,
12:51so that in itself makes it illegal.
12:53It's raised up, it shouldn't be, it needs to be completely flat like that.
12:56It's just the colour.
12:57I think it's more because it doesn't pick up on, you know,
13:00our ANPR cameras. I believe that's what the issue is.
13:03Oh, OK.
13:04In 2018, police recorded over 9,000 number plate offences.
13:10That figure had risen by almost 50%.
13:14Repeat offenders can be fined up to £1,000
13:17and have their personalised number plates confiscated.
13:25I rarely have running with police officers.
13:27She's probably ranked top of my list as a cop.
13:30I told you, I didn't get you anywhere.
13:32No, no, she's been fine, yeah. She has been fair, to be fair.
13:35She's been friendly and spoken like a human being
13:40as opposed to anyone that's any sort of hierarchy above me,
13:43which is nice.
13:44So what is it you do?
13:45Property, mainly.
13:46Oh, OK.
13:47Property and finance, majority, but mostly it's property, yeah.
13:50Sounds like it's me asking, so how do I own one of these cars?
13:53What do I have to do?
13:54Or I just marry someone like yourself?
13:56There you go, sorted.
13:57Hey, look, we can negotiate.
13:59You've just told me you're married, it's too late, I'm telling you.
14:02Flattery doesn't get you anywhere, I'm afraid.
14:04Did you say I'm not?
14:05Yeah, he's not.
14:08Unfortunately, I am, so...
14:14The driver is ready to continue his journey to Scotland,
14:17but Amy has more bad news.
14:20I also have to advise you as well,
14:23there's nothing stopping someone else stopping you
14:26on the way up to Edinburgh where you're going
14:28to give you another ticket, so just bear that in mind as well.
14:31Yeah, yeah.
14:32So how long's it going to take you to get to Edinburgh?
14:35Four hours, with a bit of luck.
14:37Well, that's not too bad.
14:39No, it's not a comfortable car, so that would feel like hate.
14:42I saw you getting outstretched.
14:44Yeah, I've got to, otherwise I would have seized up altogether.
14:49Yeah, it's quick, it looks good,
14:52but after that it's pretty uncomfortable.
14:55No cupholders either, so hence drinking the coffee outside.
14:59And it's very, very noisy inside as well,
15:02so you can't use the phone or anything like that, to be fair.
15:05So it runs out of good things after you get past the looks
15:08and it's sounding good.
15:09But it is a very beautiful car.
15:11It's gorgeous.
15:12Thank you very much.
15:13But drive safe.
15:14Thank you very much.
15:15Please don't crash.
15:16Oh, you said that now, thanks for that.
15:18I'll touch wood that hasn't happened.
15:21All right, guys, take care.
15:23Cheers now.
15:30With 40 million vehicles on UK roads,
15:33Britain's police officers are there to aid drivers,
15:37whatever the problem.
15:39You just get all sorts.
15:41Nothing ever ceases to amaze me.
15:43You just never know when things are going to happen.
15:45A veteran of 21 years on the force, PC Andy Doran,
15:49thought he'd seen it all.
15:51It looks like a caravan from the back.
15:53Looks like something out of Top Gear, something they'd make.
15:59Hello.
16:03What's up?
16:09Oh, is it totally broken?
16:13And where's the lid?
16:22Just a nookie there, can't he?
16:24We'll take lane one and two off,
16:26and then you can set off and we'll just cover these two lanes,
16:28cos if any part of this bobs up and falls off,
16:30we don't have any innocent member of the public.
16:32Sadly for this family, it's not a great end to their holiday.
16:36And for Andy, it's not an end to his working day.
16:40Other drivers need his help.
16:46Police emergency.
16:47I've just been hit, my car in a hit-and-run.
16:50I'm in another vehicle following this gentleman.
16:53It hasn't stopped.
16:54Pull across him, please, sir, so he has to stop.
16:57Step out.
16:58He's just hit my car and nearly killed me and driven away.
17:01Don't speak to me like that, all right?
17:03You come chasing after me, you're blocking me on the road,
17:06and then you follow me.
17:07You won't come and see my vehicle, because it kills me.
17:12Yeah, we'll see you down the road.
17:17An RTC, HGV in a car.
17:19The information at the moment is the HGV wants to go.
17:23I get the impression that the driver of the car
17:26is standing in front of the HGV, stopping him from going.
17:30I need to get there quick, because things can escalate.
17:33I don't know how many people are in the cars,
17:35I don't know people's temperament.
17:37It's trigger points.
17:38And at what point is somebody going to snap?
17:40I don't know.
17:41The sooner I get there, the better.
17:46OK, so, is this your vehicle?
17:48No, I'll tell you slowly. I'm off my job.
17:51OK, yeah? I'm the boss.
17:53I'm at the junction, coming out of the little industrial estate.
17:56He's turning left.
17:57Well, then, tell me, sir.
17:58His car's there, as he swings round,
18:01his back end caught the car.
18:02The back end caught the car, yeah, OK.
18:04And is it that car there that's damaged?
18:06No. Oh, right, where is her car?
18:08I don't know. It's still there.
18:09So far, Andy has the witness's car that wasn't damaged,
18:13blocking the HGV lorry that wasn't aware of causing any damage,
18:17while the damaged car is currently two miles away,
18:21where the accident actually happened.
18:23Right, OK, let's go and find the lady.
18:25Just stay here, lads.
18:27He's your witness. Have you got this gentleman's details?
18:29Yeah.
18:30Right, for your insurance, it's this lady here that needs it.
18:33I don't need it.
18:34Now, this gentleman here is saying that your vehicle
18:36has hit that lady's vehicle.
18:38Yeah.
18:39If this lady's driven into your truck, then she's at fault.
18:42If she's static, and as you're making your manoeuvre
18:44and the back end's swung out, then you're at fault.
18:46Has he admitted it?
18:48He didn't at first, but this gentleman's an independent witness.
18:50He has no choice.
18:51I'm sorry, but I heard that. How can I admit it?
18:54I didn't even see it.
18:55Dealing with people who are of race tempers, frustrated,
18:59I'm a referee in a boxing ring type of thing.
19:02I'm trying to share the details with you.
19:04Just don't get in front of the car.
19:06Right, mind yourself out the road now.
19:08It's that bit there that's caught your car.
19:10I should have come out the road.
19:13Finally, Andy gets both drivers to share their insurance details.
19:17I'm a professional driver,
19:19and that's the first accident I've ever been accused of in 40 years.
19:23With the paperwork sorted, Andy now has to deal with the damaged car,
19:28abandoned at a busy junction.
19:30Left the car around the edge, that's why people are complaining.
19:33Common sense prevails, you know.
19:35Why park obstructing the highway?
19:43Finally, happy that she's captured the full damage to her vehicle,
19:47the driver leaves.
19:50And Andy's left to reflect on his day.
19:53It's always two sides.
19:54Unless they're going to admit it in the first instance,
19:57they'll always defend their own driving,
19:59cos nobody likes to admit they make mistakes when they're driving.
20:09It just looks good, doesn't it, if we go out
20:11and we set an example with clean cars.
20:13PC Chris Swash has been part of Cheshire Police for six years.
20:18It's quite nice turning up to a job in a clean car
20:20that's not covered in muck.
20:22It's quite satisfying when you turn up next to Merseyside
20:24and their cars are filthy and ours are spotless.
20:29I'm hopeful today we've got a couple of cars we can go and look out for,
20:33and we'll see what we can find, eh?
20:42Cheshire, it is a big area.
20:45Getting to places is a challenge.
20:47Say, if a job's coming over in Crewe and I'm in Chester,
20:51it's a long way to go.
20:58Patrolling along the A55 in Cheshire,
21:01Chris spots a car driving erratically.
21:05The focus in front is very keen to get going,
21:08so he's swerving across the solid white line here
21:11just to nudge the Mercedes driver in front to move over, it would appear.
21:15Let's see what he does.
21:17The Mercedes driver's well with his rights.
21:19Being lane two, he's overtaking slow-moving traffic in lane one,
21:22so it doesn't give this chap a reason to drive so close up into Rita.
21:26With only two lanes and no hard shoulder,
21:29this driver poses a huge risk to other vehicles,
21:32so Chris needs to act swiftly.
21:35We're above 90 now,
21:37so the way he's driving at the moment is inconsiderate to other road users.
21:42He's all over the road. I mean, for me, he's committed an offence.
21:46He's driving to Paulin, so he's right at the backside of this as well,
21:49trying to force him over.
21:51So as soon as we can get him stopped safely, we'll do.
21:54He's been speeding now for 90, for over a kilometre.
21:57As Chris follows in his unmarked car,
22:00he's convinced this is no ordinary speeder.
22:04I'm going to suspect drug driving here.
22:08The car shows no signs of slowing down.
22:11Then the driver attempts his most dangerous manoeuvre yet.
22:17Shocking.
22:23Crazy driving, dangerous speeding and gambling with oncoming traffic.
22:29Those split-second decisions can cost people their lives,
22:33and dashcam footage is capturing these reckless drivers on film.
22:39Stupid dog!
22:46On the A55 in Cheshire,
22:48PC Chris Swash is following a suspected drug driver.
22:53He's all over the road. I mean, for me, he's committed an offence.
22:57He's driving to Paulin, so he's right at the backside of this as well,
23:00trying to force him over.
23:03Drink drivers, drug drivers and speeders,
23:05we need to get them off the roads,
23:07cos they're just a danger to other road users.
23:09I mean, I know we drive fast, but I've had the training.
23:12I've gone through five weeks of advanced driving to do so,
23:15so I've got the skill set to do that.
23:17We're retested annually.
23:19Cars are essentially lethal weapons.
23:21People think they've got this big protective bubble around them,
23:24and it isn't.
23:25They are dangerous places to be.
23:27You are not protected if you travel at high speed in a motor vehicle.
23:33Experienced police officers can tell the difference
23:36between drivers under the influence of drugs
23:39and those under the influence of alcohol.
23:41This footage shows police following a car in Sussex.
23:45The drivers' motor skills and coordination
23:47were clearly affected by alcohol and posed a real danger.
23:52When caught, they were charged with failure to provide a breath test
23:56and other driving offences.
24:01In Cambridgeshire, this driver is high on cocaine
24:05and has little impulse control,
24:07driving aggressively, speeding and braking late.
24:11The motorist later pleaded guilty to six offences,
24:14including driving under the influence of cocaine,
24:17dangerous driving and failure to stop.
24:22On the A55 in Cheshire, PC Chris Swash
24:26needs to contain this potentially deadly situation.
24:30With no hard shoulder,
24:32his only option is to get in front of the vehicle to bring it to a stop.
24:36The risk was doing this so early or putting a follow me on,
24:39so say they've got drugs or anything in the car they don't want,
24:42they could quite easily chuck them out the window and dispose of them,
24:45and obviously I'm on my own.
24:47He was away with the fairies. He had headphones in.
24:49The good thing about these parking bays
24:51is if he decides for any reason just to shoot off,
24:53at least we've got him here.
24:56So, here we go. We'll stop there.
25:04Brilliant. Just jump in there for us, mate.
25:08I'll jump in the front. I'll have a quick chat with you.
25:11Thank you very much.
25:14Have you got any idea why I've stopped you today?
25:17Er... Anything about your driving that would have made me stop you?
25:20Well, that last turn, I kind of missed it.
25:22I don't think you missed it.
25:23I think you were just driving like a bit of an idiot, weren't you?
25:29I've been behind you, and you're in lane two.
25:33You're driving right up the backside of other road users.
25:38You're swerving over that solid white line
25:40to try and get them to move over.
25:43Oh, no, I've just seen him do it in front of me.
25:45No, you weren't, cos you did it to more than one car.
25:47So what I'm going to do is I'm going to caution you,
25:49cos you have committed a number of moving traffic offences.
25:51Not only your speed, but your driving was appalling.
25:54So you've been driving without due care and attention.
25:56So, as a minimum, you're going to be getting a ticket for that today
25:59to take home with you, as a minimum.
26:06Because of the manner of your driving
26:08and because you've committed a moving traffic offence,
26:10I'm going to be doing some preliminary impairment tests with you today
26:13at the roadside, namely a breath test and a drug wipe.
26:17Do you use cannabis or cocaine at all?
26:19Never.
26:20So that'll come back clear then, won't it, as well?
26:22Hopefully.
26:23Hopefully.
26:24So that suggests to me that you probably do use drugs every now and then.
26:27Is that a fair assessment?
26:28OK. Lean forward for me.
26:29Wrap your lips around it and blow.
26:31Nice and gently. Keep blowing.
26:33Keep blowing. There you go. That's brilliant.
26:35The legal limit is 35. You've blown zero.
26:38So you've passed that.
26:39So that's a good start.
26:40So go on then, be honest with me,
26:42just so I can kind of manage your expectations on this.
26:45When did you last smoke a spliff?
26:47Over the weekend.
26:48I had a drag in the pub.
26:50In the pub?
26:51Who smokes cannabis in a bloody pub?
26:53So only you know if you're going to pass this.
26:55You seem a bit nervous about this one.
26:57Lean forward for me and stick your tongue out.
26:59I need to wipe this on your tongue.
27:00Stick that tongue right out.
27:01Right out.
27:02That should turn yellow, which it has.
27:04That's all we need.
27:05You can sit back and relax for eight minutes.
27:08Can I have a smoke?
27:09No, you can't. Not at the minute.
27:15Right, so the eight minutes is up.
27:17As you can see on there,
27:18the solid red line on cocaine is very clear
27:20and there's a faint one on cannabis.
27:22So at this moment in time, you're under arrest, OK,
27:25for Section 5A,
27:26driving whilst over the prescribed limit
27:28of cannabis and cocaine.
27:31The increase in these drug offences
27:33has led the government to impose much stricter penalties.
27:38Yeah.
27:45It's mad how many people like him drive around
27:48whilst over the prescribed limit.
27:50It just goes to show people use cannabis and cocaine.
27:53A couple of days later, they haven't used it
27:55and they're fine to drive,
27:56but the amount of people that fail these drug wipes
27:59and the blood's come back over is astonishing.
28:08When vehicles crash, sometimes drivers clash.
28:14Come on, big man!
28:16In Widness, two complete strangers decide to race.
28:23Quickly reaching speeds in excess of 70 miles an hour,
28:27no-one's backing down.
28:29Even with the dual-carriageway rapidly running out.
28:36What the fuck, mate?
28:38Call the police.
28:40Both suspects were convicted of dangerous driving,
28:43given suspended prison sentences
28:45and disqualified for 18 months.
28:49In the wake of the crash,
28:50the police are now investigating
28:52whether or not the two suspects
28:54were involved in the crash.
28:56And disqualified for 18 months.
29:06It's 10pm and PC Mike Clark
29:08has been called to Knutsford services on the M6.
29:12There's been a bit of a bump on the motorway,
29:14so both parties have come on to the services here,
29:17trying to sort it out,
29:19but it's got a little bit heated, we think,
29:21so we'll just find out what's going on.
29:23The drivers are blaming each other,
29:25so it's down to Mike to find out who is at fault.
29:30Basically, car came up behind us.
29:32I was in the third lane.
29:33I was on the fastest, on the first lane,
29:35and that guy there, he was also on the first lane.
29:38He's flashed his lights at me
29:39because I'm not going quick enough for him.
29:41I've overtook the car that I was overtaking,
29:43and I've pulled back in.
29:45He's decided he's not happy with that.
29:47And then he put on the brakes,
29:49and me and my family were travelling,
29:51and I had to put my brakes on.
29:53He's cutting in front of me,
29:54and as he's cutting in front of me,
29:56he's clipped the front of my car.
29:57Overtook him and tried to come back on the lane,
29:59and that's when he hit me from the back.
30:01We've come in here by chance to stop for a toilet break,
30:03and he's been parked here.
30:05He followed us here. I knew he was following us.
30:07As soon as we pulled up,
30:08he started shouting and bawling at us.
30:10Yeah, we called the police on the motorway.
30:12We got back in the car,
30:13and we just stayed out of the way until they got round.
30:16Two different accounts, but only one is the truth.
30:21He's put the alloy there. Yeah.
30:23There's nothing, there's no...
30:24That'll be off his tyres, that won't it?
30:26Yeah, it is, absolutely. Yeah.
30:30Cos we're not there,
30:31I've got to take obviously both sides of the story,
30:34and there will always be two sides.
30:36But there's not a lot of grey areas with traffic.
30:39It's finding out who was in what lane, who did what,
30:42who has the priority, who's got right of way,
30:44who was at fault.
30:46Cos he wouldn't have run into his back end,
30:47cos it'd be front-end damage and not near-side damage.
30:49Yeah. So it's undertaken.
30:54When we hear the term road rage,
30:56we often think solely of roadside punch-ups like this.
31:03But according to the RAC,
31:05road rage is classified as any menacing behaviour
31:08like aggressive speeding, undertaking...
31:12What an absolute tool!
31:14..and sudden braking, known as brake-checking.
31:19Indeed, crashes caused by tailgating,
31:22as demonstrated by this insane driving in Northumberland,
31:26account for nearly 2% of all road casualties.
31:34Back at Knott'sford services,
31:36Mike and his colleagues are still trying to uncover
31:39who is to blame for the collision on the motorway.
31:42The story's been inconsistent,
31:44just doesn't seem to tally at this moment.
31:47Mike and the other officers on the scene check the vehicle damage
31:51to see if it's consistent with the driver's accounts.
31:54You haven't got a dashcam, have you?
31:55No, no, no. I knew that straight away.
31:57Yeah. It's just an absolute godsend.
31:59Cos I'm a lorry driver, I want one for my lorry as well,
32:02because we've got one for the company,
32:04but if anything happens, I want the proof.
32:06I got hit on my own driveway,
32:08and because I was sat in my car on my own driveway,
32:11it went down, it was 50-50, cos I was sat in it.
32:13It's frustrating.
32:14At least if you've got a camera on it,
32:16it clears you down, doesn't it?
32:18With no dashcam footage to prove what happened,
32:21the outcome will be left to the driver's insurance companies to decide.
32:32Drivers in the UK can expect to be involved
32:35in an average of four accidents in their lifetime.
32:39A half-term will be less parents being on the road,
32:42so hopefully the illegal people will be out and about
32:47and they'll be easy to spot.
32:55What was it you reported?
32:57My friend was driving and as she braked,
32:59the car behind us just literally flew off into the side of the field.
33:03He nearly hit the tree.
33:04What road is that on?
33:06Fortunately, Sergeant Vicky Howell is in the vicinity,
33:10just minutes after the accident happened.
33:36It's a criminal offence for a driver to leave the scene of an accident,
33:41so Vicky needs to get there fast.
33:49Police around the country are fighting an ongoing war...
33:55..against the menace of dangerous...
34:01..and criminal driving.
34:04And one of the most useful tools at their disposal is drivers' dashcam.
34:11Back in Middlewich, Cheshire,
34:13Sergeant Vicky Howell is responding to a 999 call
34:16about a van crashing off the road.
34:19A witness reported she thought the driver was trying
34:22to leave the scene of the accident.
34:27We've just had a call from the informant.
34:30Yeah, I'm literally with it.
34:32Apart from the damage to his vehicle, it's clear he's going nowhere.
34:40Just come and sit with me in the back of my car for me.
34:43Come and tell me what's happened. Jump in there for me.
34:46I just was driving, you know, and I just saw this car.
34:49I think it was stopped with no hazard lights.
34:51I was looking on the phone, looking on the Google Maps.
34:54I just saw this car, I think it was stopped with no hazard lights.
34:57I was looking on the phone, looking on the Google Maps,
35:00to see where I have to turn, so then I just saw the car.
35:03I tried to push on the brake.
35:05I know that it was too close and I just take on the left,
35:08just to avoid the accident, so that's it.
35:10You weren't concentrating. Otherwise you would have seen it, wouldn't you?
35:13Yeah, I just tried to avoid an accident, you know.
35:15I'm not sure if I go on the left, it'll be OK.
35:17To be fair, you probably did the best thing,
35:19cos at least you didn't go up the back end of someone.
35:21Yeah, I just tried to do my best.
35:23If I was on the right, I hit another car.
35:25If I go in front, I'll hit this, so I'll just go on the left.
35:28The witness who called 999 is still at the scene.
35:32I was just like, oh, my God, is he going to crash into us?
35:35I was just more worried about us than anything.
35:37I just called 999 and got police and ambulance
35:40to make sure that the guy was OK.
35:42I thought he was going to go into the tree, to be honest.
35:45Have you told your businessy boss that it's happened?
35:47Yeah, I just... Is he happy about that?
35:49What do you think? Not happy? I think so.
35:52Not had anything to drink?
35:54What do you think? You never know.
35:56No, just water. It's a big deep breath.
35:59Anyone involved in an accident
36:01is very likely to be breath-tested at the scene.
36:05You get to keep the tube, cos that's got your saliva on it.
36:08There you go. And a souvenir for crashing.
36:10So you have the result now? Yeah, it's nothing.
36:12Are you sure? Yeah. Why? I'm really glad.
36:15There's a lot of sirens going on, isn't there?
36:20Although the van is off the road, there's still a danger.
36:23Sparks from the van's battery could ignite fumes from the fuel tank,
36:27so firefighters arrived to make the vehicle safe.
36:32I don't suppose you know where the battery is?
36:35The battery? Is it at the back?
36:37I think it's behind the chair, yeah, or on the floor.
36:40I'm not sure. I wouldn't know.
36:43The driver was very lucky to escape a prosecution and a serious injury.
36:49Because it's off the road, he's got his own recovery coming,
36:52so he will sort that out.
36:54Our main principle is to just keep the road clear, really, which it is.
36:58We're cording off the actual stretch of hedge
37:01just to make sure that people are aware that it's been reported.
37:04This is a good one, cos everyone's OK, no injuries, so this is good.
37:07It could have quite easily been a facelift
37:09if he'd gone five metres further up and hit that tree,
37:12cos trees do not move.
37:15You could push for a due care,
37:17but realistically, he says he's taking his eyes off for a second,
37:21which we all do.
37:23His insurance will go up.
37:25They're going to have to pay for the hedge,
37:28so he'll probably have that as enough, realistically.
37:31I love that she said that he was trying to drive off.
37:34He was never going to drive off in that, you see.
37:37Unless he was going to have to pay for it.
37:41In 2020, Cheshire had the most drink-driving convictions
37:45of anywhere in England and Wales.
37:49This worrying trend is something that its police
37:52are committed to stamping out.
37:58We're going to have to wait and see.
38:00We're going to have to wait and see.
38:02We're going to have to wait and see.
38:04We're going to have to wait and see.
38:06We're going to have to wait and see.
38:09It's Saturday night in central Warrington.
38:12While some people are enjoying a night out,
38:15PC Amy Hollis is on the lookout for drink drivers.
38:24Oh, no, I'm going for him, actually.
38:26He's not got his lights on.
38:28Cars being driven at night without lights on
38:31will always attract the attention of the police.
38:34The redhead up there hasn't got his lights on,
38:37so straight away you're thinking,
38:39why haven't you got your lights on?
38:41Sometimes he's by criminals to get out of dodge or not to be noticed,
38:46but we'll see what the reason is.
38:50There are over 35,000 arrests for drink driving
38:53each year in England and Wales,
38:55and dashcams are documenting more and more of those offences.
39:00West Midlands Police captured this van on camera
39:03weaving across all three lanes of the M5.
39:07I've got a failed stop, failed stop.
39:10Lane two.
39:12The driver, who was almost three times the drink drive limit,
39:16led the officers on a pursuit,
39:18hitting speeds of over 80 miles per hour.
39:21The chase was finally brought to a stop
39:23when the vehicle's driver,
39:26The chase was finally brought to a stop
39:28when the vehicle's tyres were stung.
39:30The driver was banned for two years,
39:33given a 12-month community order and fined £245.
39:44In Warrington, the car PC Amy Hollis is following
39:47has come to a stop right in the middle of a junction.
39:51What a silly place to stop.
39:54Just pull in here for me, it's a bit of a bad place to stop.
39:57Yeah, over there for me. Have you got enough room?
40:08Hiya, you all right? Yeah, I'm fine.
40:10You didn't have your lights on. Oh, my God, I'm so sorry.
40:13No, it's OK.
40:14Kim, have you had anything to drink tonight?
40:16Yeah, I went for the meal earlier on.
40:18OK, just come and have a sit in the back of my car.
40:20Just take a seat there for me, Kim. Thank you.
40:25I can smell alcohol on you, OK?
40:27You've been driving without your lights off.
40:29When was the last time you had anything to drink?
40:31It was, like, when did I go for the meal? About seven o'clock.
40:34Seven o'clock, OK. It was like a strawberry daiquiri.
40:37Have you had anything to eat or drink or smoke in the last 20 minutes?
40:40Yeah, I've had my cigarette. A cigarette. How long ago?
40:43I'd say about ten minutes. About ten minutes ago.
40:46OK. So I'm going to ask you to breathe into the tube for me.
40:49Nice and slow. I'll tell you when to stop and I'll keep hold of it.
40:52You've never done this before, so sorry. No, it's OK.
40:54I'll keep hold of it. I'm sorry.
40:56No, it's fine. Just blow into the tube, yeah.
40:59Keep going, keep going, keep going.
41:01Stop. Perfect. That'll analyse.
41:04Right, and that's a fail. You've blown 52.
41:06OK, so at this time, you are under arrest on suspicion of drink driving.
41:09I remind you that you're under caution, all right?
41:12The breath sample she gives is one and a half times the legal limit.
41:18Right, so just drop your phone for me,
41:20just cos you're under arrest at the moment. You can't be on your phone.
41:26You know, it's always the stereotype of, oh, it's a male.
41:29I think women, they think more forward.
41:32They'll think, that's my driving licence gone, that's my job gone,
41:36that's this gone, I can't pick the kids up from school anymore.
41:39Whereas I think with men, it's, right, I'm being charged with this,
41:42what's going to happen next?
41:44For men, it's more the here and now.
41:46They don't think a year down the road.
41:48All right, do you want to jump out?
41:50The driver is taken into custody.
41:53Come and have a sit in the back of here.
41:58The thing is with drink driving, it's such a bugbear of mine,
42:01and drug driving as well.
42:04It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened.
42:06She didn't have any lights on.
42:08Someone crossing the road, equally intoxicated, could have stepped out.
42:11She could have hit them.
42:13So I will always stop a drink driver somewhere I think is a drink driver
42:16because I see this now as me stopping someone from losing their life tonight.
42:22Back at the station, the driver takes a further breath test.
42:35It's life decisions at the end of the day, isn't it?
42:38And some people make bad ones.
42:40I'm sure she'll regret it in the morning.
42:47The motorway cops are back new next Monday at 8.
42:51Exploring the dangers faced by officers on duty.
42:54The new series of Police Code Zero, Officer Under Attack is at 10 tonight.
42:59And facing life or death situations in Barnsley A&E.
43:03Every second counts for NHS staff on shift in Casualty 24-7.
43:07New next.