Dashcam shows car spin off dual carriageway seconds after national emergency alert test

A dashcam captured a car spinning off a dual carriageway in Bolton, Greater Manchester, seconds after a government emergency alert was broadcast to mobile phones nationwide on Sunday afternoon.

The footage, recorded at about 3 p.m., shows a silver vehicle veering across a 50 mph road, mounting the pavement, rotating 180 degrees and skidding to the opposite carriageway before coming to a stop. A freelance photographer who filmed the incident, Phil Taylor, said the driver and a passenger had already exited the vehicle when he stopped to check on them.

Taylor, 64, told reporters he inspected the car and saw alloy and passenger-side damage. "I had a look at the car — the alloys were bashed in. I think the rear passenger side was damaged," he said. When he spoke with the driver, Taylor said the motorist asked: "Have you got video of that? I did a full 360 didn't I?"

It was not immediately clear whether the emergency alert contributed to the incident. The government test message, delivered to compatible mobile phones across the UK, included a loud siren-like tone that sounded even if phones were on silent and in some cases was read aloud by devices.

The full message sent on Sunday read: "This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a UK government service that will warn you if there's a life-threatening emergency nearby. You do not need to take any action. In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Find simple and effective advice on how to prepare for emergencies at gov.uk/prepare. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information or to view this message in Welsh." The alert was also provided in Welsh for recipients who received the bilingual version.

Edmund King, president of the AA, had urged drivers to "stay calm and focus on the road" when the alert arrived, and motorists were reminded that using a handheld device while driving can carry a £200 fine and six penalty points. Since the service's first test in April 2023, five live emergency alerts have been issued by authorities. The largest deployment saw about 4.5 million people in Scotland and Northern Ireland receive warnings during Storm Éowyn in January 2025 after a red weather warning was issued.

Officials have said emergency alerts are intended to warn the public about life‑threatening situations and include advice to follow instructions in a real event. Some recipients have reported that alerts reach devices in waves rather than simultaneously, a factor Taylor suggested could have influenced timing in this case.

Police and emergency services did not immediately provide details on any injuries or confirm whether a device-related distraction played a role in the Bolton crash. The government directs members of the public to gov.uk/alerts and gov.uk/prepare for information on how the system works and how to prepare for emergencies.