Motorway driver caught eating cereal at the wheel

Police were able to monitor driver behaviour from their high vantage point in an HGV cab.

A woman has been fined for eating a bowl of cereal at the wheel while driving on a motorway.

The 23-year-old was spotted by police who were using an unmarked HGV cab to monitor drivers on the M90.

She was pulled over after driving in lane two of the Queensferry Crossing in the direction of Edinburgh.

The woman was fined £100 and had three points added to her licence as part of Police Scotland's Operation Tramline scheme.

During the operation, officers have used the HGV cab to give them a good view of drivers.

A total of 85 offences were reported in the first two weeks of the initiative.

It is being trialled on dual carriageways and motorways in Fife, in and around Edinburgh and in the Forth Valley area.

The initiative saw officers in an unmarked HGV record 85 offences

An HGV driver on the Edinburgh City bypass was fined £200 and received six penalty points after being spotted using both hands on his mobile phone and steering with his forearms.

'Downright dangerous'

Police said 47 offences reported so far involved drivers using their mobile phone, while others included speeding and not having insurance. A further 36 drivers have been given warnings for various offences.

Road policing officer Tom Aitken said reducing the number of road casualties was a priority and the force regularly used footage from dash-cams, head-cams and CCTV to investigate traffic offences.

"Most people know the effect alcohol and drugs can have on driving, but the small things can be overlooked," he said. "It is just not smart eating as you are driving, it is downright dangerous.

"The same goes for using any mobile device and reading. Acting like this means you are distracted and therefore not in proper control of your vehicle. A split-second lapse in concentration could result in a crash."