Reckless motorist drives along the M6 motorway with an eight-foot length of wood sticking out of their passenger window

• Witness Rickie Newell said the footage was shot on the M6 in Wolverhampton 
• Several road users tried to alert the Skoda driver to the danger posed by his load
• The Highway Code warns drivers about the danger posed by unsafe loads  This is the shocking moment a motorist is filmed driving along the M6 motorway with an eight-foot length of wood sticking out of their passenger window. 

  Other drivers try to warn the Skoda driver of the potential danger as the wood protrudes over the hard shoulder. 

  Rickie Newell, who filmed the incident, said the footage was shot on the M6 southbound between Junctions 11 and 10. 

  
  

  Witness Rickie Newell filmed the grey Skoda driving down the M6 motorway outside Wolverhampton 

  He said at least five feet of the wood was sticking out of the window. He said: 'There were a number of people snatching their phones out for a clip of this guy, so you could imagine the reaction.

  'We were travelling from Crewe back into Wolverhampton, my home town, after a day's work doing groundswork. 

  

  +4

  

  +4

  The driver wedged the piece of wood in place with the window and ignored the warnings of other road users

  'We tried to get by the side of him but our junction was fast approaching and we ran out of road, plus we didn’t want to get too close because of the danger.'  

  The Highway Code warns: 'You MUST secure your load and it MUST NOT stick out dangerously. Make sure any heavy or sharp objects and any animals are secured safely. If there is a collision, they might hit someone inside the vehicle and cause serious injury.'

  Failure to secure a load could also see a motorist receiving three penalty points, although they could also be prosecuted for driving without due care and consideration which could result in up to nine penalty points.