Distracted driver jailed for fatal lorry crash

A man who caused the death of another driver after being distracted by a screen has been jailed.

Colin Longbottom had been using his lorry's built-in touchscreen moments before hitting Daniel Loft's broken down flatbed truck on the A46 northbound near East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, on 12 December 2024.

Loft was in intensive care for 18 days but died on 30 December 2024, leaving behind a wife and two children, police said.

Longbottom, 63, of Woodhouse Road, Wakefield, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced on Tuesday to four years and five months in prison.

He was also banned from driving for five years.

Police said internal CCTV in the cab captured Longbottom looking down for prolonged periods and taking intermittent glances at the road ahead, with his eyes off the road for approximately four seconds prior to the collision.

Loft, 37, had just left his vehicle via the passenger's side door but was struck by the truck in the crash and sustained serious head injuries.

During a police interview, Longbottom, of Woodhouse Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, told officers he had been using the touchscreen in an effort to turn off his fog lights, but accepted his driving fell far below the standards of a competent driver.

As part of the police investigation, Longbottom's mobile phone was examined and it was found he had also been using the device just minutes before the collision.

Paying tribute, Loft's wife Holly said: "Our family has been left completely broken after the loss of the most amazing husband, father, son and brother.

"Because of the senseless actions of one man's dangerous driving, my husband left for work as he did every day, never to return home to his wife and two beloved children.

"Danny was well known and respected in the local community with his involvement in football coaching for Cotgrave FC and running his own soccer school in Cropwell Bishop."

Collision investigator Georgina Luke, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "The devastation Longbottom caused by the manner of his driving is immeasurable and he will have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life.

"As Longbottom begins his sentence, I sincerely hope that other drivers will take note of the potential consequences of failing to pay due attention to the road ahead."

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