Tory council hopeful criticised for filming himself driving

Jack Spriggs, who works for Dudley North candidate Afzal Amin, is also standing to be a councillor in the St James's ward in Dudley.

The 19-year-old was revealed at the weekend to have posted videos on Instagram of himself singing loudly with friends while at the wheel. The car is seen to be moving and Mr Spriggs looks into the camera, which appears to be on the dashboard and using the front facing camera.

At various points passengers in the front and rear seats can be seen joining in.

Mr Spriggs said: "I have been foolish and it is totally correct to say that when driving it is always safest to concentrate fully on the road and not let yourself be distracted.

"The video footage I uploaded was filmed 'hands-free' - with the phone mounted using a car kit. However I realise simply because something is legal does not make it the safest way to drive, so I will not be repeating my mistake. In the future, it's eyes on the road for me."??

The video is embarrassing for Mr Amin who has campaigned for measures to improve Dudley's road surfaces, where he says potholes pose a risk to motorists' safety.

Dudley Labour councillor Adam Aston said: "Jack Spriggs' actions were irresponsible and immature. We don't need driving like that in Dudley.

"Do Afzal Amin and the Conservatives think that he is an appropriate choice of candidate for St James's following his actions?"

West Midlands Police Traffic Inspector Greg Jennings said Mr Spriggs had not committed an offence because his phone was in a hands free mounting.

He added: "However, we would strongly advise not to do anything to take your attention away from driving. If the individual had been involved in a collision whilst singing, then the footage would be considered for evidence of careless or dangerous driving depending on the circumstances."

Nick Lloyd, road safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: "It is vital that drivers concentrate at all times so that they can plan ahead and react quickly when things go wrong. Ninety-five per cent of crashes are as a result of human error.

"In 2012, 71 people were killed and almost 500 seriously injured in crashes involving in-vehicle distractions. Taking pictures and filming while driving will significantly distract the driver putting them and other road users at significant risk, as well as the possible legal consequences resulting from their actions."

Last year, aged 18, Mr Spriggs became one of the country's youngest politicians when he was elected a town ­councillor in Rushden, Northamptonshire.

Mr Amin is trying to win Dudley North from Labour's Ian Austin, who held the seat in 2010 with a slender majority.

Both parties are also facing a challenge from UKIP in next May's General Election.