Police focus on region's speeders

Throughout August, Devon and Cornwall Police in Partnership with TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, is focusing on excessive and inappropriate speed on the region’s roads.

TISPOL Operation Speed runs from 18th to 24th August and is a pan-European campaign designed to gather intelligence from all participating traffic police forces with the aim of reducing death, injury and crime on Europe’s roads.

At the same time as gathering information which will later be shared with all TISPOL members, such as penalties issued and the number of collisions during the period of the campaign, Devon and Cornwall Police will as normal be actively policing the region’s roads and carrying out additional local initiatives, such as those in West Cornwall.

Mark Leath, Road Casualty Reduction Officer for the area, said: “The Safer Roads Support Unit will be conducting speed checks at sites in West Cornwall where there is a proven speed or collision issue. We will also be conducting operations around bike meets to deter speeding and anti-social riding.”

Excessive or inappropriate speed is the principle contributor to fatal and serious injury collisions and one of the “fatal four”.  The others are driving while under the influence of drink or drugs; not wearing seatbelts, and driver distraction such as using a mobile phone while at the wheel.

Richard Pryce, Roads Policing Unit Inspector, explained the different ways that speed contributes to collisions: “Invariably, speed has an influence in most collisions whether it is excessive which means just travelling too fast, or inappropriate which is travelling too fast for the circumstances or road conditions. Speed directly influences your stopping distance and so many collisions, especially rear-end impacts which are frequent, are easily avoidable simply by motorists applying the appropriate stopping distance from the car ahead relative to the speed at which they are travelling.

“A road may have a 30mph speed limit but this does not mean that is necessarily safe to drive at that speed when negotiating a bend or approaching a hazard.  A speed limit is just that – a limit.  It’s not to be seen as a target to achieve or a speed to maintain.  It is the limit and the maximum speed which may be driven only when the conditions and circumstances allow.”

Inspector Pryce adds that weather conditions must be considered in relation to speed: “Inclement weather when travelling on faster roads is also a consideration, as the 60 or 70mph speed limit may not be appropriate due to the conditions.  Standing water can result in vehicles aqua-planing where the vehicle’s speed is perhaps within the limit but too high for the conditions.”

TISPOL acts as a platform for learning and exchange of good practice between the traffic police forces of Europe. Its activities are guided by research, intelligence, information and experience, and producing measurable results.

Koen Ricour, TISPOL President, said: “The TISPOL Organisation was established to improve road safety and law enforcement on the roads of Europe. Today, our commitment to achieving further reductions in deaths and serious injuries remains as strong as ever. We know that the enforcement of traffic law and education, where appropriate, will make a significant contribution to reducing the carnage on our roads.”