Driver faced with car safety course or court
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• A Leeds-based driver who has had a clean HGV licence for nine years will have to complete a 1100 car safety course following an accident—or face prosecution by the West Yorkshire Police.
Two weeks ago Fastsource driver Jimmy Waugh received a letter from the Highways Department of Kirklees Metropolitan Council warning that unless he took part in the course he could be fined £2,500 and receive nine penalty points for careless driving,
On 19 March Waugh drove
his Foden tipper from a Leeds landfill site after another truck driver flashed him onto the road—into the path of an oncoming car. No one was injured in the resulting crash. Waugh says that the car was speeding, but admits he was in the wrong.
After the accident Waugh heard nothing from the police; as far as he knew the incident was being dealt with by the relevant insurance companies.
But West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman says Waugh will face a charge of driving without due care and attention unless he agrees to the one-and-a-half day course, which does not cover trucks. The Highways Service at Kirklees Metropolitan Council only runs cars in the scheme.
Waugh says that he has no choice but to take the course; "Truck drivers are easy targets, we always get the blame. This is like blackmail."
As well as footing the £100 bill for the course Waugh will lose wages for the time he is off the road.