Earlier this week, a truck carrying plastic and rubber caught fire on the A50 in the Netherlands; the driver escaped unharmed. Several motorists nonetheless filmed the accident, which is a punishable offence in the country.
Writing on Instagram, the East Netherlands traffic police said the fire had attracted a lot of attention from drivers on the other side of the motorway.
Officers noticed that many drivers had filmed the fire from their cars while driving, creating an enormous traffic jam as a result.
As many as 152 drivers were found guilty of filming or photographing the fire.
The crime of filming or photographing traffic accidents in the Netherlands entails a fine of €240 plus a €9 euro admin fee, but could potentially rise by another €100 if the government’s proposals are voted into law.
Photo credit: politie_teamverkeer_on / Instagram