Police have warned motorists they could end up in trouble if their driving falls below standard. Devon and Cornwall Police say they took action against 3,400 motorists after their actions were caught on camera by other motorists.
And video showing a number of incidents which landed drivers in trouble has been released. This shows a string of motoring offences with many landing the drivers with penalty points and fines.
These included one driver who drove under an overhead gantry which was too low to allow for the wooden planks he carried on the back of his vehicle. And terrifyingly, when the planks hit the gantry they sent a large bucket along with other building materials flying into the air directly onto the motorway, reports Devon Live.
The footage was collated by Operation Snap, run by Vison Zero which is made up of a number of organisations across Devon and Cornwall working to cut deaths on the roads in the region. It allows motorists to submit footage of any dangerous driving they witness.
Last year Devon and Cornwall Police received 4,736 video submissions. In the operation's latest selection of clips offences included the driver who failed to secure his vehicle sufficently to stop the building materials getting onto the A38 at Kennford. That driver was fined £100 and given three penalty points on his licence.
In another clip, the driver of a tractor towing a large trailer is clearly unaware of a large, loose tyre attached to the rear of his trailer with a strap. After dragging it behind the vehicle, the strap eventually breaks leaving the tyre in the middle of the highway. And another shows a motorist driving through a red light as other vehicles stopped.
Adrian Leisk, Devon and Cornwall Police’s Head of Road Safety, said: "Both of these incidents could have been far worse and resulted in death or serious injury. It is vital that drivers towing or carrying any sort of load ensure that it is secured safely within their vehicle or trailer, and cannot move.
"These videos also feature other lethal examples of driving on our roads, including dangerous overtaking, jumping red lights and generally not showing regard or respect to other road users – including those who are most vulnerable such as cyclists.
"As these latest figures for 2022 show, we are seeing more and more submissions to Op Snap which are resulting in more notices of intended prosecution. We are incredibly grateful for the support of communities in reducing road harm.
"Dashcam, mobile phone and body camera ownership is on the increase and I want to make it very clear that if you drive dangerously in Devon and Cornwall, there is a very good chance someone will have captured it on camera and will submit that footage to the police. This will lead to you being fined, receiving penalty points or potentially even losing your licence - it’s just not worth the risk."
In 2021, 47 people were killed and 647 people were seriously injured on roads in Devon and Cornwall, according to the Department for Transport. Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is chairman of Vision Zero South West.
Commissioner Hernandez said: "When dealing with figures like these it’s important to remember that every single one represents a person who has suffered dramatically as a result of a collision on our roads. Whether it’s someone who dies, sustains a brain injury, loses a limb or suffers from the harrowing mental effects of a road traffic collision, the effect this incident has on them – as well as their friends and family - cannot be underestimated.
"The whole purpose of Vision Zero South West is to cut road traffic deaths to zero. All our partners will admit this is an extremely ambitious target but one which needs to be at the forefront of all of our minds."
