POLICE TO USE UNMARKED HGV TO CATCH DRIVERS WHO BREAK THE LAW
HUMBERSIDE Police officers will be travelling in unmarked HGVs to catch drivers breaking the law on our roads.
Operation Tramline aims to catch motorists and lorry drivers who are committing a variety of offences like driving while using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding and drink or drug driving.
So far, the operation has caught more than 4,000 drivers nationally.
By using a HGV, officers are higher up and can see down into cars as well as be at the same level as lorry drivers.
If officers in the HGV identify someone breaking the law, they will record video footage and pass it on to a following marked car.
These officers will then intercept the vehicle, dealing with the driver involved in the reported offence.
Highways England regional road safety coordinator, Sarah WatsonQuirk, said: “The vast majority of people drive responsibly and we hope Operation Tramline will encourage all road users to drive safely.
“We have several lorry cabs at Highways England that provide the police with a valuable tool to carry out their job enforcing the law.
“Unfortunately around 450 people are killed or seriously injured every year on England’s motorways and major A roads as a result of a driver being impaired or distracted.
“Those who break the law behind the wheel are putting lives at risk.”
The operation comes after recent studies claim that commercial vehicles have been increasingly involved in fatal collisions over the last three years.
Commercial vehicles carry a significant risk of harm when the driver is not in proper control. Those driving whilst using a mobile phone, or are tired through failing to comply with EU Driving Hours Regulations and those not wearing a seatbelt are an increased risk.
The initiative will begin today and will run until Thursday, April 15.
A Humberside Police spokesperson said: “What we hope to acheive through Operation Tramline is to prevent such devastating collisions, making the roads of our region safer for everyone. “