A lorry driver crashed into a broken down car on the A55 while he was distracted by his phone, searching for a podcast. Raymond Catterall, 44, narrowly missed hitting the family who were waiting beside the carriageway. The stationary car was partially on the eastbound lane when the incident occurred. Initially, Catterall claimed that the car had “pulled out” in front of him, but later admitted dangerous driving on the stretch at Tal-y-Bont near Bangor.
A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court highlighted the incident as a stark reminder of why drivers should not use phones while behind the wheel. He sentenced Catterall to an eight-month jail term, which has been suspended for 18 months. Prosecutor William Griffin informed the court that police received a report of a two-vehicle crash on the A55 eastbound carriageway at Tal-y-Bont on May 15 last year at 2pm. The defendant’s lorry had collided with the rear end of a car which had been half in the inside lane and half on the verge.
Catterall had driven his 7.5-tonne Mercedes Benz “Atego” model lorry into the Kia Rio, narrowly avoiding the family. After the collision, Catterall left his cab and sought help from a nearby property. When police found him there, he told PC Daniel Owen that he had swerved to avoid the car. The aftermath of the collision caused significant delays. Catterall acknowledged he should have seen the stopped vehicle but claimed it pulled out in front of him. On whether he had been distracted, Catterall said he could not recall that.
Simon Mintz, defending Catterall, stated that he was trying to find a podcast, which distracted him, preventing him from seeing the car on the carriageway. Mintz highlighted Catterall’s deep regret and remorse for the incident. His honour remarked that the crash was entirely avoidable and emphasised the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving. As a consequence, Catterall was sentenced to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, adhere to a three-month curfew, and face disqualification from driving for 12 months for dangerous driving and using a mobile phone while driving. Additionally, he must pass an extended re-driving test before being permitted to drive again.