YARRA Ranges Highway Patrol members were shocked to see a truckie driving with no hands on the steering wheel yesterday.
The 45-year-old Newport man was spotted holding his phone in his right hand while simultaneously drinking a coffee with his left hand as he travelled along Maroondah Highway at Lilydale at 10.30am.
Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Graeme Rust intercepted the vehicle after it was spotted by police.
“How could someone be so stupid to drive with no hands on the wheel?” he said.
The man claimed his Bluetooth earpiece wasn’t working but he received no leniency from police due to the nature of the offence.
He was issued with two infringement notices for fines of $506 and given three demerit points for use of his mobile phone and failing to have full control of his vehicle.
Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol detected a total of 44 offences on Maroondah Highway yesterday which included 20 mobile phone offences.
