Dashcam scheme gives Devon and Cornwall police '170 extra pairs of eyes on the roads'

Dashcams are being distributed to businesses and organisations whose members are often out on the road in Devon and Cornwall, so that they can capture footage of dangerous driving.

South West Water, the RNLI and the regional housing association Live West are among those who've been provided with the 170 cameras, in a scheme jointly funded by National Highways and the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner's office.

The footage from the dashcams will be passed on to Devon and Cornwall Police.

The Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez is also the National Road Safety Lead for the APCC and chairman of the Vision Zero South West board – a partnership of organisations committed to cutting the number of road deaths and serious injuries in the region to zero.

She said: "This is a fantastic project that I hope will have a significant impact on road safety in Devon and Cornwall.

"We have specifically chosen the organisations involved to receive these cameras as they operate vehicles which regularly travel on some of the most problematic roads across the South West.

"This gives us 170 extra pairs of eyes on our roads to capture dangerous drivers and take action against them through Devon and Cornwall Police's Op Snap initiative.

"With more people watching, the chances of bad drivers getting caught will increase. I hope this makes motorists more alert and, in turn, will make our roads safer for everyone."

Operation Snap is a scheme enabling members of the public to upload video footage of road accidents as well as illegal or dangerous driving.

Since its launch in 2019, more than 1,300 dangerous drivers have been prosecuted, and in the first six months of 2021, Devon and Cornwall Police received 779 submissions. Of these, 408 cases led to notices of intended prosecutions being issued and 144 resulted in an official police warning.

The above video includes some of these submissions, showing shocking examples of dangerous driving on Devon and Cornwall's roads.

[H2]What the RNLI and South West Water say about the scheme.[H2]

Pez Hargreaves, the South West Regional Safety Manager for the RNLI, said: "With facilities including lifeboat stations, lifeguard units and support bases located across the south west and many of our volunteers and staff travelling around the region as part of their core duties, the RNLI will be able to contribute significantly to this initiative.

"The charity puts a focus on ensuring our volunteer crew and our lifeguards are safe while saving lives at sea, and this scheme will contribute to the safety of our teams using the road networks, as well as for people who live in and visit the region."

Guy Busby, Head of Property, Facilities and Transport at South West Water, said: "We are delighted to be involved in this project and to play our part in improving road safety in Devon and Cornwall.

"South West Water's fleet operates throughout the region and we are committed to reducing the risks our employees face when driving for work. We fully support this worthy initiative to improve road safety within the South West for the benefit of all road users."