In three days at the start of April, Devon & Cornwall Police officers caught 14 drivers using their mobile phones hand-held while driving, videoing them in the act from the lofty viewpoint of a special unmarked HGV tractor unit provided by National Highways under its Operation Tramline initiative.
All 14 have been reported for a traffic offence, and face 6 penalty points on their licence and a £200 fine.
21 other offences were also recorded, including not being in control of the vehicle, speeding, not driving with due care, and having no insurance.
The HGV tractor unit was not used for pursuit – officers onboard shared their observations with roads policing colleagues who intercepted the identified vehicles
Chief Inspector Si Jenkinson, Operational Lead for Roads Policing at Devon & Cornwall Police, said: “Our thanks go to National Highways for once again lending us the specialised HGV tractor unit. Its elevated cab position means that officers can detect traffic offences which may have been more difficult to spot in a regular police vehicle.”
“This was a short operation, but the number of dangerous offences that officers detected highlights the importance of this kind of proactive road safety work. Op Tramline is just one of a number of enforcement tactics we use to make our roads safer all year round. We will continue with this activity and with working with our partners to provide education to motorists to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.”
Jack Mason, National Highways’ Road Safety Manager for the South West said: “We know that the majority of people who use our roads drive safely but there remains a minority who continue to put themselves and others at risk.
“We all need to play our part in keeping our roads as safe as they can be so we want to encourage motorists to reflect on their driving and prioritise safety on our roads.
“That means addressing unsafe driving behaviour, working with the police on Operation Tramline is one of the ways we do that, helping to make our roads safer for everyone.”
You can read more about the effectiveness of Operation Tramline here: Tackling dangerous driving behaviour - National Highways
Alison Hernandez, Police & Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is chair of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership.
Commissioner Hernandez said: “Vision Zero South West is committed to reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on Devon and Cornwall’s roads, and operations like these play a vital part in that mission.
“The minority of drivers who insist on putting themselves and others at risk is unacceptable, and we will continue to work with all partners on enforcement and education year-round to reduce the toll of death and injury on our roads.
“Drivers should be under no illusions about how dangerous these driving behaviours are. Using a mobile phone behind the wheel significantly increases your chances of being involved in a collision, with the distraction impairing both your judgment and reaction times.
“And even if you don’t cause a collision, being caught on your phone will result in a hefty fine and six penalty points – which is enough for a new driver’s licence to be revoked, meaning you will have to re-take your test. It’s just not worth it.”
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