Do We Still Need Police Patrolling Our Roads?
Thursday, 25. February 2021
Once upon a time we needed police on our roads to catch speeding motorists and those driving dangerously. But then came speed cameras to constantly survey speeding hotspots and now we have the public, happy to fit dash cams or download an app on their mobile phone, turning it into a dash cam, in order to use footage to report motorists breaking the law.
Initially dash cams were used to record accidents and certainly to refute claims from those carrying out ‘cash for crash’ crimes. But now everyone is becoming a policeman making it less necessary to have police patrolling the roads. What next? Will the Government look again at mobile apps that the public could use, as they do in Canada, to photograph those who are illegally parking in exchange for a piece of the fine?
Here is what the RAC has to say about the police inside your car.
Police are receiving an average of 89 dash cam clips of alleged motoring offences every day, with motorists being urged to ‘always drive as if you are being watched by the police’.
In 2019, 32,370 pieces of dash cam footage were sent to the 24 UK police forces that responded to a Freedom of Information request by the RAC – more than twice as many as the 15,159 received the previous year. Furthermore, 8,148 (25 per cent) of the clips received in 2019 resulted in a prosecution.
The Metropolitan Police received 8,082 dash cam clips in 2019 – more than any other force. Surrey was second with 3,542 and West Midlands third on 3,242. Fourth was Gwent Police, which received 3,037, while Greater Manchester Police were sent 2,940.
The footage received by police forces covered a variety of motoring offences, including dangerous driving, careless driving or driving without due care and attention, driving too close to cyclists, contravening red traffic lights, contravening double white lines, contravening ‘no entry’ signs, illegal use of a handheld mobile phone and evidence of vehicles apparently without MOTs.
Dash cam manufacturer Nextbase runs a footage portal where drivers can upload clips to 33 police forces. It’s said to have saved 170,000 hours of police time over two years.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said dash cams are a “game-changer”, with drivers able to easily submit clips to the police without a road traffic officer needing to have witnessed the incident.
He added: “As so many drivers and cyclists are now using dash cams and helmet cameras, every road user needs to be very conscious that any of their actions that aren’t in accordance with the law could end up with the police. Some will inevitably find this out the hard way while others will hopefully become increasingly mindful of it.” By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express
