Drones could become the latest technology deployed to catch offenders on the road.

According to a report in My London, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has said it is thinking about deploying drones in the capital.  It’s believed it could be a useful tool to help catch dangerous drivers on the capital’s roads.

Utilising tech

The new comes as road safety experts are calling for every police force in the UK to use the devices to tackle the high rates of death and serious injury on the country’s roads.

Devon and Cornwall Police have already started to use drones to record dangerous driving and catch offenders since April. However, no other forces have so far introduced them.

Now, the Met has confirmed to my London that motorists could soon be nicked using the technology. A spokesperson for the MPS said: “The use of this tactic is being kept under consideration. However, the MPS currently isn’t deploying drones to target dangerous drivers.”

The halo effect

A spokesperson for Road Angel, a company producing road safety and motoring accessories,  is also asking Thames Valley Police to start using drones.

“Government figures show that for the year ending June 2022, 29,795 people were reported killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads, an increase of more than 2,000 from the previous year. Of the people killed or seriously injured on British roads last year, 1,695 died, which was an 8.7% increase from the year previous.”

Gary Digva, founder of the firm, added: “The drone initiative has already proved successful and useful for Devon and Cornwall police forces, so the delay in introducing it nationwide is disappointing. Not only does the technology help police to find and punish dangerous drivers, but it will also deter them from driving recklessly knowing they are more likely to be caught.

“Using high-tech drones to crack down on motoring offences and record incidences of unsafe driving has the potential to transform UK roads and reduce accidents and fatalities. The drone scheme needs to be urgently introduced in areas such as Yorkshire and Thames Valley where police forces have recorded high incidences of dangerous driving.

Cost effective cures

With the huge cuts in traffic police officers out on the roads, the new tech could be a useful and cost effective addition to roads policing. However, there are concerns about personal privacy curbs and a ‘big brother’ approach. Also, it will not have the same deterrent effect on road users. However, others argue that the unseen monitoring could have an even more effective deterrent effect.

“Having drone video evidence is a great way to catch offenders in the act and help with prosecution, which will ultimately keep reckless drivers off the road,” continues Digva.

“The sooner that the technology is introduced to police forces nationwide, the quicker we will see an improvement in road accident cases.”