The Department for Transport (DfT) will invest £100,000 in setting up a new police unit to analyse dashcam footage and other video evidence submitted by the public.
The new unit is one of 50 measures announced as part of a two-year action plan to improve road safety being developed by the DfT. The study is primarily focused on making roads safer for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians.
While no specifics have been given over how the submission of dash and helmet cam footage would work, the national back-office police unit analysing it will be modelled on a pilot scheme, named Operation Snap, that was run in Wales in 2016.
The DfT proposals said that any footage submitted must be clear and accompanied by a witness statement to prevent spiteful allegations. It will likely be able to enforce dangerous and careless driving, along with offences such as jumping red lights or using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.
Other proposals contained within the DfT report include a review of the Highway Code, evaluation of the wider use of 20mph zones around schools, the creation of education programmes on safely passing cyclists and a review of parking laws, including a clampdown on parking in cycling lanes.
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Cheltenhamshire
I would need my own officer!
The amount of sh%t driving I see everyday I would need my own officer to processmy footage. Mind you, the amount of money they would make in fines, self financing. And unlike the speed camera it would actually punish bad driving.
That bloke
Had an idiot a few weeks ago
Had an idiot a few weeks ago who went to take up the same road space as me (except I was indicating, he was not). I got all the honking, so I pulled over to let him 'win'. Not content with that, he pulled in front of me, slammed his brakes on, and took up both lanes of the road to prevent me going anywhere. He thought I would rise to the bait. I didn't. I simply sent the dashcam video to the police. He got a visit and a warning that his driving has been noted in case there are future incidents. Just remember, before doing something childishly stupid, that lots of people now have dashcams.
That bloke
I should add, my dashcams
I should add, my dashcams (three in all) record my driving all the time, too.
lamcote
Excellent
Hopefully this will catch all the cyclists going through red lights, riding in the middle of the carriageway when there's actually a cycle lane, riding 2 or 3 abreast on country roads etc etc
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