Police in Lutterworth have stopped 45 motorists as part of an enforcement operation to tackle road safety.
Officers from Harborough, Lutterworth and the Road Policing Unit held a ‘FATAL4’ operation on the A426 Leicester Road in Lutterworth and Coopers Lane in Dunton Bassett on Thursday September 5, 2013.
‘FATAL 4’ is a term that is used by the emergency services – it summarises the four most likely causes of fatal road traffic collisions; drink driving, speeding; driving while on a mobile phone; and driving without a seatbelt.
Crew Manager, Richard Hollis and Fire-fighter Robert Horn from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) assisted the police at the event. The LFRS officers recounted their experiences of traffic collisions they have attended; to raise awareness of the damaging effects committing one of the FATAL4 can have, not only for the driver, but for other road users and members of the public.
Of the 45 vehicles that were stopped:
Thirty-nine of the drivers stopped accepted the option of education; three were dealt with by means of a Traffic Offence report (two for being repeat offenders for using a mobile phone whilst driving, and one for travelling at 52mph in a 30mph zone); and three were dealt with by words of advice.
PC 500 Andy Smalley from Lutterworth Local Policing Unit said; “We are very pleased with how well the operation went; and again, it illustrates the road dangers caused by a minority of drivers.”
Sanjay Bulsara, Harborough District Manager from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: “FATAL4 is a campaign where Leicestershire Police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are working together throughout the county to inform the public about the four main causes of road traffic collisions: mobile phones; drink and drugs; speeding; and non-wearing of a seatbelt. By running hard-hitting, joint campaigns such as this we aim to inform the public about the dangers they face on the roads and reduce the number of road traffic collisions within the Harborough district.”
Graham Compton from the Road Policing Unit said: “The ‘FATAL4’ clinic ran by local officers assisted by officers from the Roads Policing Unit, was kept busy dealing with drivers who are still failing to heed our road safety message. By not using their seatbelts and being distracted by using their mobile phones whilst driving, they are continuing to put themselves and other road users at risk of injury.
“The clinics are helping to get the road safety message across to this stubborn minority of drivers.”
Further road safety clinics are planned by the Roads Policing Unit throughout the year.
