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So far officers have focused on tackling the issues of mobile phones, as well insurance and vehicle maintenance checks

Northamptonshire Police is tackling is running a campaign to work towards tackling the so-called ‘fatal five’ during the United Nations Global Road Safety Week.

Led by the Roads Policing and Safer Roads teams, the operation aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads.

Running until Sunday (May 22), the campaign focuses on challenging and changing the behaviour of those who put their own safety, and that of other road users at risk, with special emphasis on the fatal five offences.

The display will be in Abington Park until the end of this week, Global Road Safety Week, after it was organised by the family of a woman who died on the county's roads.

The fatal five – careless driving, excessive speed, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, not wearing a seat belt, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs - are the main contributory factors linked to death or serious injury collisions on the roads.

Inspector Ian Wills of the Force’s Roads Policing Team said: “Reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads by improving the standard of driver/rider behaviour remains a key priority for us.

“We know that most people consider everyone getting home safe as more important than taking unnecessary risks however, there are those who chose to deliberately drive or ride irresponsibly or illegally on our roads when they think they can get away with it.

“We police our county’s roads 24/7 and take robust actions against anyone found to be using them irresponsibly and illegally, and this week of action is an extension of that work.

“One way to help make our roads a safer place for everyone is to change how we use them by challenging behaviour. This operation provides us with the opportunity to focus our efforts on this and educate and engage with road users.

“This operation is not about catching people out however, where people choose to ignore the law which then impacts on the safety of others, it is only right that the appropriate actions is taken.”

In 2022, after being involved in a road collision, 36 people never returned home safely to their loved ones, and 347 required urgent medical assistance for serious and life-changing injuries. So far this year, 12 people have already died on the county’s roads.

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Throughout the week, the Roads Policing and Safer Roads Teams will focus on a theme, which started with mobile phones enforcement on Monday (May 15) followed by insurance and vehicle maintenance checks on Tuesday (May 16).

While other themes include cracking down on people not wearing seat belts, insecure loads, sharing road space safely with vulnerable road users, drink/drug driving enforcement and the promotion of both CarKraft and BikeSafe.

If you have been involved in a road collision, or think you may have witnessed a traffic offence, you can report it online at www.northants.police.uk.

People can also report driving offences by uploading video evidence via a simple online portal on the force website and completing a form, which automatically creates a witness statement to provide a full account of the incident.

For more information about Operation Snap or for details on how to submit video footage, visit the Northamptonshire Police website at www.northants.police.uk/OpSnap.

Northamptonshire Police tackle fatal five with campaign during Global Road Safety Week