A man in Whitby, UK learned the hard way that it’s not wise to fully loosen up when behind the wheel.
Sometimes, a nice relaxing drive is the cure-all to a long, drawn out, stressful day. A man in Whitby, UK learned the hard way, however, that it’s not wise to fully loosen up when behind the wheel.
36-year-old Richard Newton was caught on a police camera driving with his hands fully resting behind his head. It wasn’t just a quick reflex either.
He seemed to be completely relaxed, while driving down a major interstate at speeds up to 62 miles per hour. The police van, equipped with a dash cam captured Newton driving in the reckless manner for about 30 seconds.
The incident occurred in early August of last year. The case just recently landed in court. Newton claimed he was in control of his vehicle the entire time his hands were behind his head.
He also said he had a problem with his back and was simply stretching to alleviate the pain. Court authorities didn’t believe him.
He was convicted of dangerous driving. As his punishment, Newton lost his license for a year and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. He also received a fine of over $1,000.