Last week (14th to 18th Sept) Officers from Cumbria Constabularies roads policing unit took part in the national Project EDWARD and the NPCC’s One Road, One Week.
Officers from the Road Safety Team, Mobile Support Group, Collision Reduction and Road Safety Cameras visited over 25 roads of concern around the force.
During the week they identified a range of offences from use of mobile phones, no seatbelts, tyre offences, speeding and insecure loads.
As part of the week of action the constabularies Road Safety Camera vans were out in various location across Cumbria.
During the five days of action there were 277 offences of speeding recorded, of which one driver was recorded driving over 60mph in a 40mph zone. Two further offences were also recorded of over 100mph in a national speed limit area.
Also reported were 30 offences for mobile phone, distraction and seatbelt offences.
The aim of road safety campaign Project Edward which is an acronym for Every Day Without a Road Death is to raise awareness around this year’s theme of driving for work. During the week there was one serious injury collision reported in the county.
Officers also teamed up with officers from Northumbria Police for a joint motorcyclist engagement event in Rothbury, Northumberland. The event was the second in two joint events from the neighbouring forces following an earlier even held in Alston in August. The aim of the event was to educate those motorcyclists that regularly travel in both force areas.
Roads Policing Inspector Steve Minnikin said: “This has been a successful week of enforcement as well as engagement.
“Unfortunately there are still a number of people on our roads putting themselves and others at risk through the fatal four factors of speeding, using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt and drink/drug driving which are all completely avoidable.
“All drivers on our roads have a responsibility when they get behind the wheel, take care and it could save lives.
“This is not the end of this week of action for us, we do this day in day to make our roads as safe as we can.”
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall, said: “It’s great to see the force actively tackling anti-social driving during this week of action, although I know their work to improve road safety is a year-round operation.
“Please consider other road users as well as your own. It is important not too and you are breaking the law if you speed, drive under the influence of drink or drugs or use your mobile phone when driving.
“We never know what is around the corner so always drive sensibly and let’s work together to end road accidents and deaths in Cumbria and across the UK.”
