The week-long operation, running from 6 to 12 October, is part of ROADPOL’s “Focus on the Road” campaign, which brings together traffic police from more than 30 European countries to combat distracted driving and raise awareness of safe road habits.
Throughout the week, officers are stepping up checks on motorways, major roads and urban junctions to ensure drivers and passengers are wearing seatbelts and not using handheld mobile phones or other electronic devices while driving. Authorities say smartwatches, tablets and other gadgets that divert attention from the road will also be monitored.
ROADPOL, the European Roads Policing Network, said the aim is to reduce the number of crashes caused by distraction and improve compliance with road safety laws.
“By conducting simultaneous, high-visibility enforcement actions across multiple countries, the organisation aims to create a widespread deterrent effect while raising public awareness of road safety issues,” explained Chief Commissioner Jana Pelesková of the Czech Police, who heads ROADPOL’s Operational Working Group.
Research cited by national police authorities shows that a driver travelling at 90 km/h who looks down at their phone for just eight seconds covers around 200 metres ‘blind’, significantly increasing the risk of a collision. Distraction and failure to use seatbelts remain two of the most common causes of serious and fatal road accidents across Europe.
The intensified roadside activity forms part of ROADPOL’s broader strategy to help the European Union achieve its “Vision Zero” target of eliminating road deaths by 2050. Similar coordinated checks earlier this year focused on speed enforcement, drink-driving, and seatbelt compliance.
ROADPOL’s member countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, among others.
