Over 2,000 People Caught Speeding In A Week In Hampshire

28 April 2014, 13:42 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Hampshire Police targeted drivers going too fast as part of a Europe-wide operation earlier this month.

Between 6am on Monday, April 14, and 11.59pm on Sunday, April 20, Hampshire Constabulary took part in the Europe-wide TISPOL speed enforcement campaign. 

The results from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for the week of action saw a total of 2,123 vehicles detected exceeding the speed limit.

Of those 454 were detected by static automated speed cameras and the rest, 1,669, were detected by officer controlled devices. 

Throughout the campaign officers raised the awareness of the dangers of speeding to people and reminded those who drive goods vehicles how their speed varies on certain roads. 

Stickers were also given out to goods vehicle drivers to remind them of the different speed limits. 

Hampshire Constabulary Road Safety Sergeant, Rob Heard said: 

“Excessive or inappropriate speed has a singularly devastating impact on the safety of road users, increasing both the risk of a crash and the severity of the consequences. 

“Hampshire Constabulary is committed to increasing road safety on our roads and will continue to target those who fail to abide by the speed limits and deal with them by either education or prosecution. 

“Our aim is quite simple: to improve the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of any drivers who speed, thereby reducing the likelihood of the driver being involved in a future speeding incident and make our roads safer for all.” 

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 (ETSC 2008). Sergeant, Rob Heard commented: 

“As a significant contributory factor to road collisions, this campaign demonstrates the resolve of police forces across Europe to tackling the issue of speeding. It also highlights to all drivers the possibility of being prosecuted is very real if travelling at excessive speed. Tackling speeding through enforcement underlines the critical importance placed on road safety issues in the UK. The forces experienced by the human body in a collision increase exponentially as speed increases, and every day on the UK’s roads an average of 5 people will die and 65 will be seriously injured in collisions where speed may be a factor. 

“It needs to be noted that the speed limit is a limit, not a target - there will be times when you have to drive within it to stay in control. Drivers can become complacent about roads they are familiar with, causing them to be less alert to the road, and drive at a faster speed.”