A lorry driver was caught out by his own dashcam looking at his phone and tapping the screen before hitting a tractor on the A38.
Michael Morton was caught red-handed using his iPhone with earphones on the A38 just north of Derby before the crash, a court heard, and prosecutors said he even took a FaceTime call.
The 45-year-old had been online, sent and received text messages and made calls for all but five and three quarter minutes of the 38-minute journey, his phone records showed.
Prosecutor Alexander Wolfson said the A38 crash near Little Eaton left an Elvaston Castle landscape gardener unable to return to his job of almost 40 years after Morton's HGV slammed into the man's tractor at 10.30am on January 12.
He said the victim was left with several broken bones including broken ribs and fractures in his back.
He said: "The defendant plugged in earphones connected to his phone before he left the depot and pulled out without his seatbelt.
"He was pretty much glued to his mobile phone and at the point of the collision he was on that phone."
In a victim impact statement read to Nottingham Crown Court, the 58-year-old gardener said the after-effects of the crash had been "painful and embarrassing" and that he may never return to his job.
He says: "I was an active person and loved my job. I still need help to get dressed. My wife is now having to work as much as she can as I'm now on half pay."
Robin Shellard, defending, said Morton cried while being interviewed by police following the incident.
He said: "Throughout the interviews Mr Morton was tearful and he accepted full responsibility. He was unable to provide an explanation for the collision.
"There was nothing that could not have waited."
The court heard Morton had a "good-ish" driving record as he had only one offence of speeding while driving "many thousands of miles a year".
Mr Shellard said Morton had lost his job following the crash and had subsequently declared himself bankrupt.
He said: "Losing his job led to serious financial difficulties and stresses and strains within his relationship with his wife. The guilt he feels for what he did is enormous."
Judge John Burgess told the court that what Morton did behind the wheel was "shocking".
He said: "For all but five and three quarter minutes of the 38-minute journey you were using your phone. The other driver was clearly visible. There was a rotating orange light on the top of his cab.
"Using a phone while driving is a terrible distraction. Sometimes it seems almost endemic. This case is an indication of just how dangerous it is."
Morton, of Alder Way in Shirebrook, admitted to causing serious injury through dangerous driving and was jailed for two years and four months – he was also disqualified from driving for four years and two months.
