HGV Driver Jailed for Driving on Wrong Side of Motorway After Falling Asleep at the Wheel

A lorry driver who drove on the wrong side of the M62 motorway, causing a collision between two other vehicles, was jailed for nine months at Liverpool Crown Court on January 15, Merseyside Police saidMichael Hughes, 63, of Dunster Road, Stoke-on-Trent, was convicted after admitting to dangerous driving on 7 September 2016.He fell asleep at the wheel and was panicked and disorientated when he woke up, which caused him to keep driving, according to local reports. He was later diagnosed with sleep apnea, the report said.Merseyside Police released this footage as a warning to motorists of the dangers of driving while tired.It shows Hughes driving on the westbound carriageway of the M62 before crossing the central reservation between junctions 8 and 7. He is then seen driving on the wrong carriageway, prompting cars to swerve to avoid the vehicle. Hughes then drove onto a slip road at junction 7, Rainhill.The driver of a van sustained back and neck injuries when his vehicle collided with another car also attempting to avoid the lorry, police said. Credit: Merseyside Police via Storyful