More than 350 offences were detected during a recent week of action by roads policing officers in the North East.
Carried out by Cleveland Police thanks to funding from the Cleveland Road Safety Partnership, the week (27 February – 5 March) aimed to increase emphasis on casualty reduction.
Additional officers were on duty throughout the week, focussing on the four main causes of fatal and serious road traffic collisions (speeding, distraction, driving under the influence and seatbelts).
Officers also targeted the criminal use of the roads including document offences, no insurance and incorrect use of a driving licence.
Operation Tramline was carried out for two days in conjunction with National Highways, whereby an unmarked HGV tractor unit is used to see offences.
The tractor unit puts the officers at the same height as HGV drivers, to make it easier to see into their cabs and detect offences including driving whilst using a mobile phone and no seatbelt.
Among the offences detected were:
- More than 300 speeding offences
- More than 20 people not wearing a seatbelt
- 14 drivers using a mobile phone whilst driving
- Five drivers under the influence of alcohol
- Nine drivers under the influence of drugs
- Three drivers contravening a red light
- Three motorists without insurance
- Four people driving without due care and attention
A number of arrests were also made, for offences including theft of a motor vehicle and robbery, suspicion of dangerous driving and suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent.
Mark Kewley, roads policing operations sergeant, said: “Over 350 offences were detected throughout the week, and officers are now dealing with those people accordingly.
“Operations like this will continue, which assist us in helping to keep motorists safe and removing those from the roads who are willing to take risks with not only their lives, but the lives of other innocent road users.”
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