A RETIRED firefighter, who has seen first-hand the “carnage” that dangerous drivers can cause, insists stronger deterrents are needed to stop “appalling” motorists in Bradford district.

The man, who gave his name as Martin, was speaking after capturing a driver ignoring a red traffic light on Queen’s Road, at its junction with Midland Road.

His dashboard camera captured a white Audi being driven around a line of nine cars that were waiting at traffic lights. The Audi driver then turns left across the car at the front of the queue and moves onto Midland Road.

Martin, 58, of Idle, said police should be given powers to either seize and crush, or seize and sell, cars that they catch in the act being driven dangerously.

“I was a firefighter for 30 years,” said Martin, who worked at various fire stations in the district. “I have seen the carnage that this sort of driving can cause.

“I think cars should be seized and crushed, or seized and sold and the money given to victims of these idiots that drive about.

“There doesn’t seem to be a suitable deterrent at the moment.

“It would send a strong message to them. It needs a strong message to be sent out to these people saying it is not safe, it is not right, and it will not be tolerated.”

On the Audi driver, Martin said: “Quite often cars come whizzing past there in the wrong lane and go straight through red lights.

“But when he turned left, I just could not believe it. There could have been someone crossing the road, or a car coming the other way.

“They just seem to have no regard for anyone - it just seems to be the norm.”

He added: “I think the standard of driving in Bradford is appalling. We try and avoid going into Bradford as much as we can.

“I got a dash-cam for Christmas simply because driving is so bad.”

Meanwhile, another motorist described a driver he captured almost hitting a pedestrian after driving round cars waiting at red traffic lights on Great Horton Road as “stupid and inconsiderate”.

The grey Volkswagen Passat can be seen driving into oncoming traffic, narrowly missing another vehicle and a pedestrian who had started to cross the road, to go through a red light.

The motorist whose dash-cam captured the footage said: “The driver goes through a red light and almost hits a pedestrian.

“The driver was driving very erratic all the way from Horton Bank Top.

Mike Bristow, a spokesman for Brake, the road safety charity said: “This type of behaviour is unacceptable. It breaks one of the fundamental rules of the road. Traffic lights are in place to protect pedestrians and other drivers. These incidents could have resulted in a collision with a pedestrian or vehicle and the drivers appears to have no concern for other road users. We urge all road users to ensure they drive responsibly and to remember that the road is a shared space.”

Videos of drivers ignoring red traffic lights can be sent to police at bd.steerside@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.