AN UNMARKED HGV has been used by North Yorkshire Police to catch drivers driving badly - including a van driver using a handheld mobile phone with an unrestrained three-year old next to him.

A force spokesperson said the lorry had been loaned as part of a joint road safety operation with Highways England, codenamed Operation Tramline.

They said the high riding position of the unmarked vehicle helped officers see drivers in different kinds of vehicles, and Roads Policing Group officers had been using it to enforce the law on handheld mobile phone use and other driver distractions, seatbelts and other rules of the road.

"Over a five-day period, 48 drivers have been dealt with for 51 offences," they said.

"After spotting an offence, marked units are used to pull vehicles over in a safe place."

Traffic constable Mark Patterson said: “Despite knowing the law and being aware of the dangers, it’s shocking that some motorists continue to take unnecessary and selfish risks by using mobile phones, not wearing a seatbelt and even not strapping children in, which is totally unacceptable.

“Unfortunately, we see the consequences of distracted driving – horrendous injuries and fatalities just because someone couldn’t wait a few minutes to answer a call or check a text.

“And if large vehicles such as lorries are involved in collisions, the impact is even more devastating and can absolutely crush smaller vehicles."