More than 40 driving offences recorded during road safety operation in Corby

Motorists suspected of having broken laws related to the fatal four offences of speeding, drink driving, misuse of mobile phones while driving and not using seatbelts were targeted as part of ongoing work to reduce crashes across the county.

As part of Saturday’s focused campaign by Northamptonshire Police which took place at various locations across the town, 12 people were found to have committed seatbelt offences, six drivers were found using their mobile phones at the wheel and three drivers were warned about their speed.

Other offences were also uncovered, including driving without insurance and having vehicle defects.

A total of 10 drivers had their vehicles seized at the scene, including six for having no tax.

Pc David Lee, a safer roads officer within the joint Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service Safer Roads Team, said: “When we spoke to some drivers about certain offences, on some occasions we also came across other offences.

“One example was a woman who we found had failed to wear her seatbelt.

“When we stopped the vehicle, she also admitted to being disqualified from driving.

“She also didn’t have insurance.

“She had previously been prosecuted for speeding and had been caught twice with no insurance.

“We dealt with her case at the roadside and her vehicle was seized.

“Another driver was detected by the ANPR cameras for having no tax, but it also transpired that he had no insurance and no valid MOT.

“His vehicle was also seized.

“We often find that motorists willing to commit one traffic offence, will also have committed other ones too.

“These focused operations, which we carry out regularly around the county, are often effective in demonstrating that we take motoring offences very seriously and we will track down offenders to keep the public as safe as possible.”

Penalties for fatal four driving offences include:

- Failure to wear a seat belt: an online education course, £100 fixed penalty notice or the option to go to court

- Driving while using a mobile phone: attend a driver education course in person, pay a £100 fine and have three points on licence, or to attend court

- Drink driving: arrested and taken into custody. If found to be over the limit, driver would be charged and sent to court. Driver could expect to face points on licence, a fine and/ or a disqualification from driving

- Speeding: attend a driver education course in person or pay a £100 fine and have three points on licence, or to attend court