This is the shocking moment an 82-year-old lorry driver hit a Hyundai parked on the hard shoulder of the M4. 

Francis Nailor claimed he was delirious after coming down with coronavirus

The HGV driver of 60 years was given a six month suspended sentence at Swindon Crown Court this morning. 

You can read the full details of the sentencing hearing here.

Reacting to the sentence, PC Alan King of the Roads Policing Unit said: “This was an incredibly dangerous incident, in the dark, and it is only the good will of those members of public who put themselves at risk that there were no serious injuries or fatalities as a result of this.

“If they had not driven ahead to warn the occupants of the Hyundai, we would have had a far more tragic incident on our hands.

READ MORE: Covid-induced delirium caused OAP lorry driver to crash

“Driving on the hard shoulder, unless instructed to do so by traffic police officers of the Highways Agency or as part of roadworks, is illegal and this incident just highlights the dangers.

“Drivers should only stop on the hard shoulder in an emergency and we’d always ask drivers to leave the vehicle on the left-hand side and to wait in a safe place behind a barrier or on an embankment away from the vehicle."