Teenage driver high on drugs smashed head-on into lorry on York ring road

A teenage driver smashed into an HGV on the York outer ring road while high on drugs.

The 19-year-old, driving a Vauxhall Corsa, hit the 44-tonne articulated HGV head-on on the outer ring road near the junction with the A19.

He had to be cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and taken to hospital.

His woman passenger was shocked but unhurt. The HGV left the road and crashed through a hedge into a field.

The lorry driver suffered a broken thumb while battling to control his vehicle, but was otherwise unhurt.

Full details of the shocking collision were detailed in the first episode of a new series of Traffic Cops following the work of North Yorkshire Police, screened last night on Channel 5.

Footage of the crash was captured by the dashcam of the car following the lorry. The occupants called 999.

It clearly showed the Corsa left its lane and crossed the road into the path of the HGV.

Police reported a strong smell of cannabis coming from the car. They were also told at the scene that the young male driver, who was unnamed in the programme, had taken cocaine.

The teenager was trapped in the wreckage. Fire crews cut the roof and door off the Corsa as paramedics noted his condition was deteriorating.

Traffic officers said there was a problem with young drivers not seeing drug driving as a problem – although it was just as dangerous as drink driving.

The young driver was not seriously hurt. He was found to be six times over the drug-drive limit.

He was prosecuted, and received a one-year driving ban and was fined £153.

He had previously been arrested for drug offences, and that investigation is still ongoing, Traffic Cops reported.

Traffic Cops is on Channel 5 at 8pm on Tuesdays. You can watch the programme on My5 now