Police want dashcam videos of bad drivers

Initiative in place for potential prosecution of traffic offenders

Reckless drivers beware. Police forces are to encourage the public to send them video footage, recorded on “dashcam” cameras of motorists breaking the law, for potential prosecutions.

Tens of thousands of cars have dashboard- mounted cameras, costing as little as £ 70 ( Dh422) and typically installed defensively to protect against false claims or to cut insurance premiums. Now the police plan to exploit their potential for catching traffic offenders, urging drivers to send in footage of other motorists breaking traffic laws.

Paul Marshall, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: “Increasing use is being made by the public of digital cameras to record evidence of offences which can be used by the police service to support prosecutions.”

One pioneer is Steve Warren from Staffordshire. Last August his cameras recorded a Vauxhall Vectra as it hurtled towards the back of his car, narrowly avoided a collision by swerving across double white lines and then sped through a junction on the wrong side of the road. He said: “Why should people be able to risk your life and get away with it? I sent the video to the police.” Police used Warren’s evidence to identify and prosecute the driver.

Another prosecution was prompted by a film shot in 2011 in Southall, near Heathrow, by Jag Dev. His camera recorded the car in front of him hitting an elderly man and speeding off. The female driver was later disqualified. Dave Sherry, a bus driver from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, has cameras on his bicycle also.