A total of sixteen motorists have been reported for traffic offences after they displayed a stunning lack of patience and respect for road safety following a serious collision on the A2 Watling Street. Despite the genuine and unavoidable delays caused by emergency services attending the scene, these selfish drivers opted to illegally reverse along the hard shoulder, with some even attempting to turn their vehicles around completely.
The incident occurred on the A2 coastbound near Gravesend on Sunday, 23 November 2025, after a crash involving two cars and an HGV required a full emergency response.
As police and paramedics worked to assist those involved, traffic backed up. Rather than simply waiting, a cohort of clearly self-entitled drivers decided their schedule was more important than the law, safety, or the efforts of the emergency crews. They were caught exploiting the hard shoulder—a vital emergency artery—to execute their reckless escape.
Officers from Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit, who were managing the congestion, took swift action. They reported 16 drivers, each now risking a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence for their dangerous and illegal manoeuvring. Police are reiterating that the hard shoulder is for genuine emergencies only, and using it to selfishly bypass traffic jams puts lives at risk and hampers the work of essential services. The hefty fines serve as a sharp warning that reckless impatience will not be tolerated.
Inspector David Crompton said:
‘Officers fully appreciate the frustration of being stuck in traffic. However, we close roads for only as long as is necessary, whether that’s to assist casualties, investigate life threatening collisions, or clear the road of debris that could damage cars or lead to further accidents. Those using the hard shoulder for anything other than a lawful reason could obstruct emergency vehicles heading towards a serious collision, impacting injured drivers. These motorists were reported just 13 minutes before the road reopened, so with a little more patience they would have avoided a probable fine along with penalty points.’