Police in Suffolk and Norfolk stopped almost 250 vehicles and detected over 300 offences on the A14, A11, A12 and A47 between the 8th and 12th of March during an operation targeting HGV drivers. Most of the offences were issued because the driver didn’t wear a seatbelt.
During ‘operation Tramline’, police officers used marked and unmarked vehicles including an HGV tractor unit. Using a lorry to get an ideal vantage point has become a common practice in the UK, as we have earlier reported. In recent times, there have been similar checks in North Somerset, Northampton or Lincolnshire.
When such an operation is in process, police officers travelling in the lorry can look into cabs of other lorry drivers or look down at cars or vans. If they notice some offences, they inform their colleagues, who are on hand to stop any offenders.
Last week, a total of 248 vehicles were stopped, including 135 HGVs and 86 smaller goods vehicles.
307 offences were detected, and the drivers in question were issued with Traffic Offence Reports (TORs). Some drivers committed more than once offence.
256 TORs were issued in respect of the following offences:
- 165 for not wearing a seatbelt
- 55 for construction and use
- 28 for using a mobile phone
- 25 for an insecure load
- 12 for not being in proper control of the vehicle
- 9 for driving without due care and attention for excess speed
- 5 for excess speed
- 8 others for miscellaneous offences, including driver hours and driving through a red light
„This was an extremely successful week of action, with the sheer number of offences detected highlighting why it is so important for us to carry-out operations such as this” –Sergeant Scott Lee-Amies, of the Joint Roads and Armed Policing Team, commented on the report. – “The HGV cab provides officers with an ideal vantage point to spot drivers committing offences and provides us with another means to enforce the law with this specific group of road users, who due to the size of the vehicles they are in control of, pose an added risk to other motorists and also themselves if they are committing offences whilst driving.
Photo credit @ Suffolk Constabulary