Police launch crackdown on speeding drivers in week long campaign

Speeding drivers in Avon and Somerset are being warned to slow down or face the consequences during a week-long campaign to make the roads safer.

Police and Community Speed Watch volunteers are taking part in a Europe-wide co-ordinated speed enforcement operation from Monday August 20-26.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary will provide a high profile response to this campaign with the key objectives of

• Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads

• Raising awareness of the dangers associated with speeding via education

• Increasing the number of offenders brought to justice for speeding offences

• Making communities feel safe by high visible policing

There will be high-visibility mobile patrols across the major road network, including the M5, M4, M32 and A303. Patrol vehicles will also be stationed for maximum exposure on motorway bridges and police patrol vehicle bays. Highway matrix signs will display speed enforcement and speed reduction messages.

Police will use all the speed detection technology at their disposal, including mobile speed cameras and ANPR, the automatic number plate recognition system.

In towns and villagers across Avon and Somerset, officers will support teams of Community Speed Watch volunteers who have been mobilised to monitor traffic throughout the week.

Speeding drivers can be fined or taken to court. Many will be offered the chance to be referred to the national driver offending rehabilitation scheme as an alternative.

Operations and Traffic Chief Inspector John Holt said: "Speed limits are there for a reason. Speed is one of the main factors in fatal road collisions and slowing down just a few miles an hour can mean the difference between life and death. The faster someone is driving, the less time they have to stop if something unexpected happens.

"During this week, and every day of the year, we will detect and stop speeding drivers. We are determined that a robust enforcement approach and an effective driver education programme will make our roads safer for all."

The facts

Speed is one of the main factors in fatal road collisions

51 people in Avon and Somerset were killed or seriously injured in 2011 in crashes where speed was a factor

The risk of death is approximately four times higher when a pedestrian is hit at 40mph than at 30mph