Radio tuning led to fatal crash
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• A truck driver who took ha eyes off the road for 12 seconds to tune his radio smashed into the back of a JCB plant vehicle, killing the driver.
Colin Stephens, from Burton on Trent, admitted driving a truck without due care and attention on the northbound carriageway of the 439 at Barton -under-Needwood on 12 November last year. Burton magistrates fined him £1,000, endorsed his licence with nine penalty points and ordered him to pay £80 costs.
Alka Patel, prosecuting, said George Lowe, from Derbyshire, was driving his JCB along the 439 when Stephens crashed his lorry into the back of the vehicle, sending it into the central reservation.
Lowe died from chest and abdominal injuries before reaching hospital. Patel said the JCB was well lit and travelling at 22mph when the collision happened at 05:40hrs.
"Stephens, who was working for Christen Salvesen, received minor injuries but had 12 seconds to take action," she said. "He did not reduce speed on impact and collided completely with the back of the JOB. Stephens was interviewed and said he took his eyes off the road for 12 seconds because he was playing with the radio."
Stephen Fitzwalter, defend ing, said: "This is a very tragic case. The circumstances are simple. My client failed to see the little JOB in front.
"He has been an HGV driver for 10 years with a clean licence," Fitzwalter added.