Two drivers have been fined and given penalty points after their poor driving was captured on camera by dashcam owners in Devon and Cornwall.
Another motorist, who overtook a cyclist just inches away in South Devon, has also been sent on a driver training course after the incident was filmed by another cyclist.
The video footage was submitted to Devon and Cornwall Police’s Op Snap initiative which encourages drivers, cyclists, horse riders and other road users with cameras to submit video evidence of any poor driving they witness.
One of the videos shows a driver repeatedly cross over solid double-white lines on the busy A30. At one point the driver is forced to swerve to avoid another car coming towards it.
In another clip, a motorcyclist is seen overtaking at speed on a hatched section of road on Notte Street in Plymouth.
The videos have been released by the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership as an example of what is not acceptable on the roads of Devon and Cornwall.
Superintendent Adrian Leisk, Alliance strategic lead for roads policing, said: “These videos show some really poor driving which we will simply not tolerate in our communities.
“If it isn’t safe to overtake, please wait. Is it worth risking another human life to save a few seconds?
“More and more drivers are having dashcams installed and body worn cameras are widely used by cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders – so if your poor driving puts someone’s life at risk, there’s a strong chance you will end up being reported to us and facing the consequences.
“I wish to thank all of the people who have submitted footage which has helped to hold these driving offenders to account. You really are helping to make our roads a safer place.”
Since Op Snap was founded in 2019, Devon and Cornwall Police have taken action against more than 2,200 drivers across the two counties. For more information visit dc.police.uk/opsnap
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is also chairman of Vision Zero South West and the national APCC lead for road safety.
Commissioner Hernandez said: “All road users must learn to share our public highways and treat each other with respect – there’s no excuse for anything less.
“Together with National Highways, my office has recently funded 170 dashcams to be distributed to companies across Devon and Cornwall that regularly travel around the region.
“This gives us 170 extra pairs of eyes on our roads to capture dangerous drivers and take action against them through Devon and Cornwall Police’s Op Snap initiative.
“With more people watching, the chances of bad drivers getting caught will increase. I hope this makes motorists more alert and, in turn, will make our roads safer for everyone.”
The Department for Transport released its official annual road casualty statistics in October which showed that in Devon and Cornwall 44 people were killed and 624 people were seriously injured.
While this is a reduction compared to 2019 – when there were 48 people killed and 768 seriously injured – 2020 also saw a 21% reduction in vehicle traffic across Great Britain due to the Covid-19 lockdowns.
The Department for Transport say the decrease in fatalities in 2020 is associated with this reduction in road traffic, meaning the rate of fatalities actually increased in 2020.
Of those killed or seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s roads:
- 270 were car occupants
- 196 were motorcyclists
- 96 were pedestrians
- 78 were cyclists
- 18 were van/light goods vehicle occupants
- 2 were HGV occupants
- 1 was a bus or coach occupant
There were also four reported casualties of incidents involving e-scooters in Devon and Cornwall during 2020.
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. “
