Drivers Spotted Applying Makeup, Eating Food, And Working on Laptops While Driving Down UK Highways

Drivers on busy highways in the UK were seen applying makeup, eating fast food, and working on a laptop instead of keeping their hands on the wheel, footage released by National Highways on Friday, May 24 shows.

In the footage, which was recorded on the M6 and M40 highways by Warwickshire Police, drivers can be seen travelling at high speeds with little to no control over their vehicles.

In one clip, a woman is seen driving a swerving vehicle while attempting to apply makeup.

In another, a van driver eating fast food and steering the car with his knees is seen undertaking another vehicle before also picking up his phone.

A third clip shows a woman with both hands on her phone, who is then observed also working on a laptop while driving.

The three clips were recorded in just two days, National Highways said.

The clips were released as part of Operation Tramline’s upcoming Week of Action, starting on June 3.

Operation Tramline has been in operation since 2015, using plain white trucks as observation points to catch distracted drivers in the act. Credit: National Highways via Storyful

Video transcript

We've got customers for you.

Uh, car near side, uh, lady putting her makeup on while she's trying to drive so near side, trying to put her blusher on while she's trying to drive.

And the reason she keeps swerving is because she keeps, uh, looking at the mirror and not on the road.

So this little micro near side of somebody will take her into the services.

OK, yeah.

So he's driving with no hands on his steering wheel.

So he ran to the near side blokes having his McDonald's, and he's got no hands on the steering wheel.

He's steering with his knees.

So Lane two no control at all on the steering wheel.

Deal with his knees.

He's eating his McDonald's.

Now he's picking up a drink.

So drinking left hand chips on the right hand.

Great transit to one.

Yeah, he's just moved into Lane one.

Uh, no hands on the steering wheels, all of it literally hands free.

And he's still eating his chips, both hands off the steering wheel.

Quite sensible.

Still going.

He's having a conversation with someone, so he's on the phone as well, but that sounds free.

What's that?

That's what you call monkey now he's gonna undertake this phone, OK?

He's just put his left hand on the steering wheel now.

OK?

The Audi A three to the near side black uh, woman driving mobile phone both hands off the wheel, scrolling through it.

OK, drop back a bit.

Yeah, draw back a bit more.

OK, Still on the phone.

She's trying to do something with her laptop as well now, So she's scrolling through pens on the phone.

Uh, we'll just pull off now so you can pull her over.

Uh, looks like she's updating some kind of messaging.

Blow your home in a minute to your horn.

Yeah, just doing it to H, I can tell you that the on her phone, it's half past nine.

She just put it down.