Map-reading driver gets ban and hefty fine

AN ELDERLY driver has been fined more than £1,000 and banned for a year after he was caught reading a map at the wheel.

Peter John Rigby, 73, of Beamsley in Skipton, North Yorkshire, was captured by police cameras flicking through an atlas for at least 10 seconds while driving his Honda Jazz on March 4.

The car caught the attention of a camera operator when it began to wander across the white line of the overtaking lane.

Footage released by North Yorkshire Police today showed Rigby looking at the map while driving on the A59 at Beamsley Hill.

Police said the period when his view of the road was "completely obscured" could have been "disastrous for him or other road users".

Rigby pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Skipton Magistrates' Court last Friday.

He was fined £1,080 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £108 and costs of £85. As well as being banned for 12 months, he was ordered to take an extended driving test.

Dave Brown, safety camera team manager at North Yorkshire Police, said: "Mr Rigby captured the attention of the safety camera operator when he began to wander across the dotted white line of the overtaking lane as he read the map.

"The footage captured by the safety camera shows Mr Rigby is distracted for a least 10 seconds while flicking through his atlas and then holding it up to his face, completely obscuring his view of the road.

"Those 10 seconds could have been disastrous for him or other road users. He should consider himself fortunate that he was in a position to attend court and escape with just a driving ban and hefty fine."

"This case demonstrates the clear evidence captured by the safety camera and should serve as a reminder to other road users of the potential consequences if they choose to take unnecessary and dangerous risks."

By Peter Woodman, Press Association Transport Correspondent