The RAC is reporting new data from the National Dash Cam Safety Portal showing there has been a significant rise in the number of video reports sent to police forces across the UK. The total number of videos received via the portal increased by 30% in 2023 to 33,531.
Set up by British Dash Cam firm Nextbase, 70% of the video submissions resulted in further action taken by the police.
These video reports have also led to other offences being reported and investigated, including cases of stolen vehicles or people driving without insurance.
Throughout 2023, the data showed that the top five regions processing the most uploads include: West Midlands, West Murcia, Northumberland, Warwickshire, and South Yorkshire.
In total, these regions alone have already received over 23,000 submissions over the last 12 months.
To highlight the success of video submissions, this total is more than the total number submitted across the whole of the UK in 2021. In fact, throughout 2023, is the total 33,531 submissions up until the end of November.
According to Nextbase, dangerous driving spiked over summer, with June taking the title of the most uploads in a single month, with May, and July close behind.
Following the release of the data, Lucy Straker, Campaigns Manager at Brake, the road safety charity, commented: “Today five people will be killed on our roads. And tomorrow, another five won’t make it home to their families. And so on, and so on, until we say ‘Enough!’ and start taking responsibility for each other’s safety on the road.
“Initiatives like this, that aim to encourage safer driving and support the work of the police in tackling dangerous driving, are very welcome.”
Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK’s chief executive, said: “Road crime destroys lives and tears families apart.
“The public’s appetite for reporting these crimes shows how common dangerous behaviour is on our roads, but also provides police with invaluable evidence. It’s vital that every force across the UK puts that evidence to good use to make our roads safer for everyone.”
(Picture – RAC)
