Operation Tramlines: South Yorkshire Police catch hundreds of drivers breaking the law

  • 'She's been texting away': South Yorkshire Police footage shows drivers using phones, failing to wear a seatbelt and driving with unsafe loads

Police have released footage of drivers committing offences behind the wheel during a major road safety operation. South Yorkshire Police stopped more than 200 motorists after they were caught on camera committing offences including using a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt. Officers have been taking to motorways in an unmarked lorry as part of Operation Tramlines, a National Highways initiative to stop dangerous driving.The police's HGV tractor unit allows officers to look into larger vehicles including other lorries and vans as well as cars. Between 6 and 10 November, officers stopped 222 drivers.

Some drivers were seen carrying unsafe loads. Credit: South Yorkshire Police

Twenty-seven of those were using a mobile phone, 87 were not wearing a seatbelt, 15 were found not in proper control of their vehicle and 12 had an unsafe load.

Officers issued 187 traffic offence reports and 12 fixed penalty notices and reported 21 drivers to court.

PC Rod McEnery said: "It is hard to measure the difference operations like this make, but if we can make drivers think twice next time and change their behaviour, which ultimately save lives, then our efforts are worth it."Two people were also stopped for speeding as part of the police's motorway monitoring.Roads Policing Officer PC Rod McEnery said: "As roads policing officers we are all too familiar with the devastating and tragic consequences of road traffic collisions. Delivering a death message to a family never gets easier.""A few miles per hour over the speed limit and a momentary distraction can be the difference between life and death.”

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