15,700 vehicles checked by Dorset Community Speedwatch in a week
A week of action saw over 100 locations monitored
Volunteers from Dorset's Community Speedwatch schemes have checked over 15,700 vehicles in a week of action.
Nearly 390 warning letters have also been sent out to drivers found over the limit.
The proactive operation has been aimed at making the county's roads safer, with Speedwatch schemes getting support from Dorset Police too.
3\2 teams covered over 100 locations during the week, with around 2.5% of the vehicles monitored exceeding the speed limit.
The highest speed recorded was 55 mph in a 30 mph limit.
Dorset Police’s CSW Coordinator Maria Attwood said:
“Last week showed a real collaboration between the volunteers and uniform colleagues working together to keep the roads of Dorset safer for all users and the figures speak for themselves.”
Mark Armstrong, Head of Road Safety at Dorset Police, said:
“The results from this event are a testament to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers, which helps toward creating a tangible difference to the safety of all road users. A huge thanks also to all those who attended the annual conference, who I hope left with a fresh sense of optimism for the future of CSW in Dorset.
“Those members of the public who dedicate their spare time to the Force are our eyes and ears, allowing us to get a better understanding of locations where drivers are continuously exceeding the speed limit.
“The intelligence that is gathered by the CSW teams is invaluable – if a driver comes to the attention on numerous occasions, they can be considered to become an ‘Operation Dragoon’ target, resulting in a visit from an officer and a greater level of enforcement attention.
“Community Speed Watch schemes provide a visible presence in an area, which ultimately leads to cars slowing down and fewer collisions occurring.
“In Dorset, we currently have almost 1,300 volunteers working with us and we would like to recognise and thank each and every one of them for their commitment to making our roads safer for all road users. It is important to highlight that casualties continue to decrease on Dorset roads.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset David Sidwick said:
“Enhancing road safety is a priority in my Police and Crime Plan, and I am working with Dorset Police to ensure they use all tools at their disposal to keep dangerous drivers and unfit cars off our roads.
“From the dedication of CSW volunteers to our Interceptor Team and serious collision officers, road policing in Dorset is a model admired by other forces across the country, thanks to the positive results we are seeing year after year. Each and every volunteer is a valuable asset who all help reduce road casualties.
“The success Dorset has in keeping the county’s roads safe is in large part down to their work, and I am pleased to say that new investment has been put into our CSW scheme with a focus on rural areas. I will continue to support the many dedicated officers, staff and volunteers working hard to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on Dorset’s roads.”