Week of action sees Police target Fatal Five driving offences
During a recent week of action (3-7 June), our Roads Policing Unit cracked down on dangerous driving behaviour by targeting Fatal Five offences. This activity was complemented by community engagement events aimed at raising awareness of road safety.
The Fatal Five have been identified as the five most common contributing factors behind fatal and serious injury collisions on UK roads:
- Speeding
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Distractions – using a mobile phone or a hand-held or hands-free device
- Alcohol and drugs
- Careless driving
Following recent reports from the public of dangerous and inconsiderate driving from motorcycle delivery riders in Bristol, and in line with the NPCC’s 2Wheel campaign taking place from 3 to 16 June, days of action focused on motorcycle-related crime. Results included the recovery of a stolen motorcycle following the arrest of a 16-year-old boy witnessed riding a motorcycle recklessly through a red light with no helmet and no index plate.
Additionally, a number of delivery riders were stopped, checking they had the correct insurance and documentation to ensure other road users are protected should they be involved in an incident. This resulted in a rider having their motorcycle seized due to expired documentation and driving without a license. Several other vehicles were stopped, with drivers being issued Traffic Offence Reports for matters including driving without due care and attention, using mobile phones whilst driving and driving vehicles in dangerous condition.
Alongside this, our Road Safety Team had the opportunity to meet and chat with motorcyclists at Weston Bike Night on Thursday 6th June and at a staff event at the Airbus facility in Filton on Friday 7th June. These were opportunities to let people know about Raise Your Ride, a development experience for motorcyclists looking to improve their performance and increase their safety on the roads. The courses are led by serving or ex-Police Advanced Riders and more information can be found at www.raiseyourride.co.uk
Our Community SpeedWatch also ran an operation during the week, after 102 sessions, 668 educational warning letters have now been sent to drivers.
Superintendent Oliver Cosgrove, said, “This was an opportunity for us to highlight the importance of staying safe while out on the roads. We are seeing too many fatal and serious injury collisions and the truth of it is, that a lot of these collisions could have been avoided.
“We know how dangerous it is to not wear a seatbelt, yet we are still seeing collisions wear they aren’t being worn. Similarly, we know how dangerous it is to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, but some people are continuing to put themselves and other road users at risk.
“If you know someone who habitually drink or drug drives, doesn’t wear a seat belt, or commits one of the other Fatal Five offences, then please let us know. This information is vital to help us direct our officers where there is the greatest risk and in doing so help to keep our roads safe through reducing the number of serious collisions. If you want to do this anonymously, then you can submit a report via Crimestoppers.”
An example of a member of the public helping to take a dangerous driver off of the road can be seen in this video, where a 999 call led to the arrest of a drunk driver on the M5 in December.
To view an interview with Roads Policing Unit PC Nick Steele while out on shift in Somerset, watch this YouTube video.
Community-submitted intelligence plays a vital role in helping officers target dangerous and illegal driving. This can be submitted online via our report a crime webpage or anonymously via Crimestoppers.