Distracted South Shields driver forced policeman to jump to safety on a 70mph Sunderland road
A distracted driver forced a traffic policeman to jump to safety – then struck his car – after failing to spot a temporary lane restriction on a 70mph Sunderland highway, a court heard.
Muhammad Arslan, 29, was dwelling on family issues and remained oblivious to the officer’s warning signs on the southbound A19 dual carriageway at 11.10pm on Saturday, December 20.
Arslan, of South Eldon Street, South Shields, ploughed into cones the PC had placed on the approach to the diversion at the slip with the A1231, prosecutor Keith Laidlaw said.
The officer then had to jump to safety in the central reservation, before Arslan struck his vehicle, which was illuminated with further warning signs.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, the restaurant worker pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and was banned from the roads for 28 days.
Mr Laidlaw said: “An officer was made aware of an incident at 10.20pm on the A19 and he travelled to where this had taken place.
“The incident was such that it was identified for a road closure to take place. He was tasked with closing the A19 at the slip with A1231.
“He arrived at 10.30pm and placed his vehicle in the centre of the A19 and illuminated his Matrix board that stated, ‘Road closed’. He was in hi-vis.
“He also placed other warning markings on the road and then placed himself in a safe area and directed other vehicles, using hand signals.
“There were no incidents until 11.10pm when he saw headlights travelling south, approaching the road closure.
“There appeared to be no signalling from the driver or more towards the slip road. The officer used hand signals but there was still no movement.
“He stepped off the carriageway and into the central reservation to protect himself.
“The driver continued and collided with cones and signage. He also collided with the rear of the police vehicle.
“When asked why this had happened, the driver said he had finished work and family issues had been playing heavily on his mind and he was distracted.”
Gerry Armstrong, defending, urged District Judge Zoe Passfield not to disqualify married Arslan, who has no previous convictions, saying it would hamper his ability to get to and from work.
Instead, he also invited her to impose the minimum five penalty points instead of the maximum six, which would prevent him having to resit his driving test.
Mr Armstrong said: “This was the first error of judgement that he has made. He had to go left into the slip road.
“If he had had another two or three metres to go, he would not have come into contact with the police car.
“The issue we have today is the amount of penalty points you think are suitable.”
Judge Passfield told Arslan his blunder was not a “momentary lapse of concentration” but was “certainly over a period of time”.
She added: “There was certainly a very real risk of injury to the officer when he was in the road, and he had to move out of the way.”
The judge also fined Arslan £384, with a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.