More than 6,000 videos were submitted to Devon & Cornwall Police via Op Snap throughout 2023.

This makes it the busiest year in the operation’s history.

It’s a scheme that allows the public to submit video evidence of driving offences.

It was championed as the number of police officers, especially active traffic police, were cut dramatically.

Public participation

Op Snap was set up in the region in 2019, allowing evidence from dashcams. It means the public can make police aware or flag concerns to the police, about dangerous or illegal driving.

Footage can be submitted from numerous other sources too, such as a helmet camera, mobile phone or even a video doorbell.

Since 2019, Devon & Cornwall Police has taken action against almost 10,000 motorists through Op Snap.

The evidence

To mark the occasion, road safety partnership Vision Zero South West has released a selection of video clips to highlight the variety of offences which can be dealt with via Op Snap.

The footage features dangerous overtaking manoeuvres, near misses, even drivers using a mobile phones.

Locations range from busy dual carriageways and A-roads, to city centres and narrow rural routes.

 

Improving picture

Adrian Leisk isHead of Road Safety for Devon & Cornwall Police and chair of Vision Zero South West’s enforcement group.

Leisk describes the last 12 months as the “busiest year” yet for the scheme. It has led to action against “almost 10,000 drivers who may have otherwise escaped prosecution”.

“We want drivers to think twice before making that risky decision.

While more people are using dashcams and helmet cameras, hence more video evidence, the public are also more aware of Op Snap .

It means people realise they “have the power to do something about poor driving”.

“All of this makes it increasingly likely that dangerous and reckless drivers will be caught on camera and prosecuted” adds Leisk. He goes on to describe the rise in contributions as “encouraging”.

“Many of the video submissions we see could easily escalate into collisions causing serious and potentially even fatal injuries. As active members of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, our collective goal is to halve all serious and fatal injuries by 2030 – and then completely.”

 

Cutting the carnage

In 2022 – the most recent figures available – 47 people were killed and 741 were seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s Roads.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is chairman of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “When dealing with figures like these it’s important to remember that every single one represents a person who has suffered dramatically as a result of a collision on our roads.

“Whether it’s someone who dies, sustains a brain injury, loses a limb or suffers from the harrowing mental effects of a road traffic collision, the effect this incident has on them – as well as their friends and family – cannot be underestimated.

“The whole purpose of Vision Zero South West is to cut road traffic deaths to zero.  All our partners will admit this is an extremely ambitious target but one which needs to be at the forefront of all of our minds.”

For more information about Op Snap visit dc.police.uk/opsnap