ROAD safety campaigners are demanding tougher laws to clamp down on reckless drivers after a motorist dramatically lost control of his car on a Hampshire dual carriageway and smashed into three vehicles.

Shocking video footage shows the “terrifying” moment when the Ryan Vincent’s car hit a barrier, causing it to fly through the air and land on the other side of the road hitting three vehicles.

Yet Vincent was banned for just two weeks following the crash which happened when he tried to undertake another vehicle on the A35 Totton bypass.

Safety campaigners have slammed the sentence as “extremely lenient” and have called for courts to toughen up punishments to deter motorists from driving in a manner that risks lives.

Vincent was found guilty of driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance following the crash.

The 33 year old from Crawte Avenue, Holbury, was found guilty in his absence at Aldershot Magistrates’ Court.

The court was told that Vincent was driving his blue BMW along the A35 heading out of Southampton at 1.15pm on December 27 when he tried to undertake a Peugeot.

He lost control of his vehicle, hitting the nearside barrier and rebounded before hitting the front of the Peugeot and then the central reservation barrier.

The momentum caused the BMW to fly through the air on to the eastbound carriageway, hitting a Volkswagen and a Citroen before it came to rest on its roof. Miraculously no-one was seriously injured.

The magistrate chairing the hearing described the crash as “horrifying” as he was shown dash cam footage of the crash.

Vincent was banned from driving for 14 days for driving without due care and attention and received six points on his licence for driving without insurance.

He was also fined £320, ordered to pay £40 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Jack Kushner, spokesman for road safety charity Brake, branded it “reckless” driving and said: “Undertaking in such a manner shows a clear disregard for the safety of other road users, and risks causing appalling suffering.

“The sentence handed out to Mr Vincent appears extremely lenient. Courts should do everything in their power to deter dangerous driving, including substantial fines and driving bans that accurately reflect the harm that could so easily be caused.

"Tough sentences send a clear message that reckless driving needlessly puts lives at risks, and provide a real deterrent to dangerous, law breaking drivers.”

Neil Greig from the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: “This video shows only too clearly the terrible consequences of actions such as undertaken.

"It could have been a potentially fatal collision.

"It’s basic good driving to watch your speed in wet conditions and not attempt to undertake or retaliate against another driver you see as blocking your path.

"The video shows only too clearly the potential consequence of such actions.”

PC Mike McRoyall, from Totton Roads Policing Unit said: “This was a serious collision that closed a major route in and out of Southampton for several hours, causing huge disruption.

“It could have been completely avoided if Vincent had not driven without due care and attention, trying to undertake another car.

“It was only sheer luck that nobody was left seriously injured.”