Dashcam videos submitted by the public, capturing anti-social driving on the roads of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, have been shared by the police to demonstrate how this footage can help bring offenders to justice.
Since 1 January 2021, dashcam videos submitted to the tri-force Cameras, Tickets and Collisions (CTC) team have resulted in 882 Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) letters being sent to registered vehicle owners across the three counties. Of these, 216 were issued in Bedfordshire.
The first dashcam video shows a motorist travelling at speed along a layby on the A421 near Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire. The motorist received three penalty points and a £100 fine on 23 April 2021 for driving a vehicle without reasonable consideration to others.
The second clip captures a driver narrowly missing an oncoming vehicle when overtaking traffic on the B645 near Staughton, Cambridgeshire. The offender was fined £846 and disqualified from driving for 15 months for dangerous driving at Cambridgeshire magistrates court on 23 September 2021.
Video three shows a driver using the hard shoulder to cut through traffic on the A1(M) near South Mimms, Hertfordshire. The motorist received three penalty points and a £100 fine on 26 August 2021 for driving on the hard shoulder.
In the fourth dashcam recording, a car is seen travelling in the wrong direction on the A505 near Baldock, Hertfordshire. The driver received three penalty points and a £100 fine on 25 June 2021.
The fifth video captures a motorist cutting through traffic and driving along the hard shoulder of the M11 near Cambridge. The driver was found guilty of dangerous driving at Cambridge magistrates court on 3 March 2021 and was disqualified from driving for 15 months. The offender was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work within 12 months.
Amanda Wrate, Camera, Tickets and Investigations Manager for the three forces, said, “Dashcam footage plays an important role in making the roads safer by detecting dangerous driving and helping bring those responsible to justice.
“The forces are committed to reducing poor driving behaviour and making the roads a safer place for all users. Dashcams support the proactive casualty reduction work of the police by acting as an additional pair of eyes.
“As demonstrated by the video compilation, this footage has resulted in a number of successful prosecutions. Our advice to all motorists is to always drive responsibly and in accordance with the law because you never know who might be watching.”
Anyone who has captured poor driving behaviour on their dashcam must submit the footage via the relevant force website within ten days of the offence. These videos are then reviewed to confirm an offence has been committed and that the offender’s registration plate is clearly visible for identification purposes.
>>> To submit dashcam footage and for further guidance, please visit the reporting pages of the force website.
