Police across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are supporting an international initiative to reinforce respect for speed limits at home and abroad.
This week (Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd) marks the latest Tispol (European Traffic Police Network) speed enforcement campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to enforce speed limits for all vehicles and draw greater public attention to the consequences of excessive or inappropriate speed.
Across Europe it is estimated that speeding contributes to as many as one third of all crashes resulting in death, and is the most important contributory factor to road deaths and serious injuries, according to the European Transport Safety Council.
Sergeant Rob Heard from Hampshire Constabulary’s Roads Policing Unit (RPU) said:
“None of us should ever under-estimate the catastrophic effects of excessive or inappropriate speed upon road users and their families, many of whom also suffer lasting and profound consequences from collisions where a loved one has been killed or seriously injured.
“Speeding is one of the main factors involved in fatal collisions, and people must always realise it’s a speed limit, not a target.
“Roads policing officers are on regular patrols across both our counties to catch offenders breaking speed limits and putting lives in danger.
“Education goes side-by-side with enforcement as we strive to improve the behaviour and attitudes of motorists constantly”.
Article continues below this advertisement
In 2014, 81,000 (in 2013 it was 84,000) speeding offences were detected:
– 71% of offences occurred in 30mph limits;
– 14% in 70mph limits;
– 5% in 40mph limits;
– 5% in 50mph limits;
– The remainder occurring in 60mph and 20mph limits.
Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in 2014, 28% (12/43) of fatal casualties and 12% (124/1065) of KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) casualties were injured in collisions where ‘exceeding the speed limit’ or ‘travelling too fast for conditions’ were recorded as contributory factors.
Hampshire Constabulary is a member of the National Speed Awareness Scheme where low end speeders are offered to attend awareness training as an alternative to prosecution and points.
The course’s aim is to improve the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of any drivers attending the course, thereby reducing the likelihood of the driver being involved in a future speeding incident.
