Motorists who recorded videos of a bus destroyed by an inferno on the A90 in Perthshire from behind the wheel face being reported by police.
We told you on Friday how the double decker driving school children from Inchture to Perth High School caught fire during rush hour on Thursday morning.
Emergency services rushed to the shocking scene just west of Inchture after the vehicle became engulfed in flames shortly after 8am.
Stagecoach confirmed that “all passengers were safely evacuated from the vehicle” thanks to the quick-thinking efforts of the driver - whose heroics were hailed by many affected by the incident.
The school children were then taken to the local golf centre before being transported to the school on a replacement service.
Parts of the road were shut for more than six hours as fire crews fought to douse the inferno.
Once the fire was extinguished the bus had been completely destroyed and reduced to charred remains.
Stagecoach said that “no concerns about reliability issues” were raised about the route in their monthly meeting with Perth and Kinross, held in the week before the incident.
The bus company also said that its vehicles go under the equivalent of a monthly MOT and that any issues that come up are quickly dealt with.
A number of videos and pictures showing the Stagecoach bus ablaze at the side of the road were uploaded online, with the smoke billowing across the carriageway being visible for miles around.
However, many of those people who recorded videos are now at risk of being reported for driving offences.
It comes as the law surrounding the use of a mobile phone while driving tightened on Friday.
Drivers face a fine of up to £200 and six points for handling a mobile phone at the wheel, regardless of the reason.
Previously, motorists would only be punished if used for communication purposes, such as phoning or texting.
Officers could still target people under the old legislation if they feel the person was driving irresponsibly while recording a video.
On Friday, Tayside Police posted a message to the public on their Facebook page: “While #PerthRP and #DundeeRP were dealing with a serious vehicle fire on the A90 between Perth and Dundee numerous drivers were observed driving past filming the scene using their mobile phones.
“All of these drivers will be spoken to and reported in due course.”
In a follow up statement a Police Scotland spokesperson added: “Using a mobile phone and driving while distracted is a contributing factor in a number of serious incidents on the roads.
“We will carry out inquiries into the use of mobile phones by drivers noted while officers were dealing with the incident on the A90.
“Anyone identified as having committed an offence can expect to be reported to the procurator fiscal.”
