Terrifying moment motorist drives down hard shoulder to bypass motorway crash
This is the terrifying moment a reckless motorist[1] drives down the hard shoulder to try and get past an accident[2] on the motorway[3].
Police were so horrified by the driver's irresponsible actions they felt compelled to release the video to the public. A roadblock was in place on the M62 following an accident which meant traffic was forced to queue as the road was cleared. But rather than waiting, the male driver of a Nissan Micra decided to try and fly past by using the nearside lane.
Emergency services were responding to the incident on Sunday (September 29) between junction 22 and 21 in Littleborough, Rochdale. The collision[4] wasn't serious but did cause traffic to build up on the carriageway.
Thelwall Viaduct horror: M6 travel chaos as lorry plunges 60ft leaving miles of traffic[5]
Police were so horrified by the irresponsible driving they felt compelled to release the video to the public (
Greater Manchester Police/Triangle News)
And as highway patrols removed debris from the road to make it safe for others in wet weather[6], the Micra driver tried his luck. The situation was so dangerous that a Roads Policing Officer actually had to drive into the Micra to make it stop. The car suffered minor damage when it was brought to a halt.
A tweet from Greater Manchester Police'[7]s traffic division read: "On 29 September 2024, around 8.30PM, a reckless driver in a Nissan Micra endangered lives by driving on the hard shoulder of the M62. Thanks to the quick actions of the officer, the car was safely stopped. Stay patient, stay safe."
Speaking of the shocking incident, Chief Inspector Mike Parker from Greater Manchester[8] Police's Roads Policing Unit said: "This clip highlights the real and stark dangers of motorway policing that thankfully prevented any serious injury, due to the fast actions by our officer to make tactical contact whilst first responders were in the road. We can't express how dangerous this driver's actions were, especially as a pedestrian and paramedic were crossing the carriageway following the initial crash.
"At times due to how busy our motorway network is you may be stuck in standstill traffic due to accidents, there is no excuse for ignoring the signage and becoming impatient - it is there for a reason to ensure the safety of all. It will not be tolerated and in this case retrospective action is being taken against this irresponsible driver."
References
- ^ reckless motorist (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ accident (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ motorway (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ collision (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Thelwall Viaduct horror: M6 travel chaos as lorry plunges 60ft leaving miles of traffic (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ weather (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Greater Manchester Police' (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Manchester (www.mirror.co.uk)