Record Numbers Of Drivers Upload Bad Driving Dashcam Footage Onto Police Portal
Sunday, 8. November 2020
The past 90 days have seen a total of 3,805 videos uploaded to the National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDCSP) – 78% higher than average – despite the impact of Covid-19, says Nextbase.
The new figures have been released today by the dashcam manufacturer and security software specialist Egress, who is responsible for developing and delivering the platform’s technology, show the growing success of the platform.
The National Dash Cam Safety Portal, which allows motorists to quickly and securely upload footage of dangerous driving to the relevant police authority, is now being used by 33 forces, which have collectively received 21,324 uploads in total since 2018, when it was launched.
Saving on average eight hours per case, Nextbase estimates that the platform has saved these forces at least 170,000 hours – the equivalent of more than 20 years’ of police time.
Kelly McCann, sales director at Egress, said: “It has been encouraging to watch the system grow from strength to strength, as we do really believe that this offering can help make the roads a safer place.
“We were a little surprised to see uploads continue to come through during lockdown, as there was less traffic on the roads, but it just goes to show that there were motorists that remained concerned for road safety and did their part to assist the authorities.”
By using the NDCSP system, the public has assisted police in identifying, warning and prosecuting offenders nationwide, says Nextbase.
From court cases to awareness courses, or fixed penalty notices to warning letters, 52% of all cases have been taken further by the relevant force.
The fact that fewer than one in five cases have resulted in no further action (NFA), demonstrates the success of the platform in identifying the most severe of incidents and linking motorists with police in a bid to crack down on this behaviour, argues Nextbase.
Furthermore, it says that the growing success of the NDCSP has inspired further police forces to sign up to use the not-for-profit resource, with more constabularies are set to join before the end of the year.
Richard Browning, director of Nextbase, said: “Just because there are less vehicles on the road, doesn’t necessarily make driving safer.
“In fact, less busy roads can encourage motorists to bend the rules or lose some concentration. However, the Portal was created to make our roads safer and it is encouraging to see that people have still been reporting issues where reckless motorists have thought that they can take advantage of the clear pathways – potentially endangering others.
“We have watched this platform grow from both a public and police perspective and are hugely encouraged by its continued appeal.”
TRL – formerly the Transport Research Laboratory – has said it wants to increase the role of dashcams, and other filming devices such as smartphones, in a bid to reduce the amount of dangerous driving on UK roads by encouraging drivers to upload footage. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News
