Big increase in bad driving footage shared with police
West Midlands Police said the numbers of videos collected had risen from 208 in 2017 to 11,000
- Published
More than 11,000 dashcam videos have been sent to West Midlands Police over the past 12 months, to show careless or dangerous driving.
The force said that included footage from helmet cameras and mobile phones.
Sgt Steve Evans said 90% of the submissions ended with "positive action", including warning letters and prosecutions.
The video submitted includes evidence of road rage incidents and motorists using their phones at the wheel, or driving too close to cyclists.
The number of videos submitted rose from 208 in 2017 to 7,145 in 2023.
In the past 12 months that rose again and the force received 1,467 submissions in June alone, the equivalent of nearly 50 every day.
One incident, filmed by a passenger in another car, showed a driver inhaling something from a balloon while driving on the M6.
He was given six points on his licence, and ordered to pay £726 in fines and costs.
The footage collected included images of a taxi driver using a mobile phone
Another motorist was seen ignoring a red light and driving over a pedestrian crossing, narrowly missing a woman.
That driver was given a year-long driving ban, ordered to take an extended retest and ordered to pay £2,649.
The force has increased the number of officers in the Operation Snap team reviewing the submissions and said the investment had paid off.
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