Police in Essex have used National Highways’ “supercab” to identify unsafe and distracting driver behaviour on major routes across the county, leading to 97 drivers being reported for a variety of offences.
The vehicle was provided by National Highways between 10-14 July as the latest part of a national project which aims to improve safety by tackling distracted driving.
The height of the supercab allows an officer to look into larger vehicles to observe distracting behaviours such as mobile phone use. Once a behaviour or cause for concern is spotted, the vehicle is stopped, and the driver spoken to about the offence.
Over the four-day period, 114 vehicles were stopped across Essex, and 97 drivers were reported for a variety of offences focussing on major roads such as the M11, M25, A12 and A13.
Mobile phone usage and seatbelt offences remain high. Offences during the four-day period included:
• 22 mobile phone offences
• 30 seatbelt offences
• 2 speeding
• 5 no insurance
• 12 driving without due care or consideration
• 4 insecure loads
• 5 stopping on hard shoulders
(Picture – National Highways)
