Undercover Cops Target Bad Drivers

For the next 2 weeks, police will be patrolling Devon's roads in unmarked cars to catch drivers breaking the law.

Recording equipment will be used in many vehicles to catch those breaking the law.

They've been running the operation since 2007 and figures show throughout the campaign time serious accidents reduced by up to a quarter and there was a 19% reduction in slight injury collisions. 

Officers will be patrolling in plain vehicles on high profile routes and those which have had bad accidents on in the past.

Inspector Richard Pryce, from the Roads Policing Unit said, “Now that the south west forces combine to run Operation Vortex we know that we will be able to have a bigger impact on drivers and their behaviour.
Since the operation first began we have contributed to improving the safety of our roads but we are not complacent and know there is more work that can be done."
“A minority of motorists appear to have a selfish, even sometimes arrogant attitude to road safety which leads to carelessness and increased risk taking. 
We try to address the main symptoms which in many cases are the very causes of injuries on the road, for example in vehicle distractions such as using a mobile phone whilst driving, excessive speed, driving in an intimidating manner or something as simple as failing to protect themselves by not wearing a seat belt, all of which can have catastrophic consequences.”