DRIVERS across Hampshire and Thames Valley are still ignoring warnings of being distracted when behind the wheel and the dangers this brings.

Officers from the Roads Policing Unit, part of the Joint Operations Unit, have seen it all when it comes to irresponsible and bad driving across the two forces.

Using an unmarked HGV tractor unit, on loan from Highways England, as well as unmarked police cars and motorbikes, officers carried out the five-day Operation Tramline on the A34, M27, M3, M4 and M40.

The offences ranged from eating cereal to having a shave while behind the wheel.

The consequences of this can be fatal and that is why officers recently staged a week-long crackdown on distracted drivers.

During this the operation a total of 213 drivers were stopped for various offences, with 151 being stopped for being distracted while behind the wheel.

Of those 151, 137 were caught using their mobile phones and others were stopped for reading books and eating.

One van driver was stopped on the M27 for eating his breakfast cereal while driving and a HGV driver was caught shaving on the M4.

Sergeant Paul Diamond, who led the operation, said “It is disappointing to see so many people still using mobile phones while they are driving.

“You can clearly see from the footage from our operation at the end of last year that if a driver’s attention is on their mobile phone, it is not on the road and this can be potentially fatal.

“Sadly we have seen many examples over the last 12 months of lives lost unnecessarily because a driver has not had their full attention on the road.”