Drivers to be charged with filming crash
Six people have been summonsed to court on Teesside
At a glance
Police officers say they witnessed drivers filming crash with their phones
Four vehicles had been involved in a collision on the A174 near Eston
The force said the filming could have caused "distractions"
It is illegal to use a phone behind the wheel, even if the vehicle is stationary
- Published
Six drivers who allegedly filmed a crash while behind the wheel have been summoned to court.
Emergency crews had been dealing with the four-vehicle crash on the A174 near the Greystones roundabout near Eston on Wednesday.
But officers said they had seen drivers, not directly involved in the crash, using phones to take pictures and video.
Nobody was seriously injured, but one woman had to be cut from a vehicle by the fire service, police said.
Ch Insp Darren Bainbridge said the force did not "expect" drivers to break the law to take photos or film the emergency services.
He said: "At that time, they could further put people at risk by getting out their phones and taking those videos and becoming distracted by what’s going on.
“The laws around driving are there to protect people - we see, far too often, the devastating consequences when someone has chosen to ignore these laws".
"I’d ask that people abide by the law and refrain from using their phones at the wheel, which could have potentially led to even more problems on the road yesterday.”
Those found guilty of using a mobile phone behind the wheel can receive penalty points, a fine or a driving ban, the force added.
Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.Six drivers who allegedly filmed a crash while they were behind the wheel have been summonsed to court.