Warwickshire Police and National Highways have combined to release a collection of worrying incidents captured by unmarked police HGVs as part of a road safety initiative. The videos reveal drivers driving dangerously, consuming junk food, using laptops and even applying make-up whilst at the wheel. The footage has been released ahead of a week-long “week of action” on the M6 planned for June, aimed at confronting unsafe driving behaviour. These incidents were captured by police officers during Operation Tramline, which was introduced back in 2015. To date, officials have recorded more than 46,150 offences, with the most popular violations being not wearing a seatbelt and driving under the influence of a mobile phone.
National Highways has released the footage to follow the latest campaigns of Operation Tramline and to highlight just how dangerous distracted driving can be. The introduction of a “week of action” follows previous collaboration between National Highways and the Warwickshire Police on the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. The campaign “Being distracted is dangerous, just drive” focused on the real-life consequences of distracted driving and the effect it can have on both passengers in the vehicle and other road users.
In addition to the police crackdown on dangerous driving, Highways England has also launched Project Edward. This campaign is designed to encourage drivers to pledge drives for road safety, in turn also tackling the negative behaviour of drivers. The 2021 Project Edward campaign is made up of multiple phases, starting with setting goals for the betterment of road safety, then acknowledging the potential consequences, and finalizing with a driving pledge. The project offers some guidance and direction to drivers who want to learn more about safe road travel.
As part of the campaign, National Highways is working collaboratively with agencies and road safety organizations to provide clear and concise materials that leverage the evidence to support an understanding of driving risks. Other stakeholders are encouraged to take advantage of the material and use the evidence presented in developing safety programs within their community. The campaign, according to National Highways, is helping to raise awareness amongst road users and to encourage them to take a more active role in road safety efforts
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