A week-long crackdown on speeding drivers saw more than 400 caught going too fast across the Cleveland and Durham police force areas.
The joint Cleveland and Durham specialist operations unit (CDSOU) launched the operation on Monday, 18 April in support of a Europe-wide campaign aimed at reducing speeds and improving safety for all road-users.
And in just seven days a total of 404 drivers were found to be breaking the speed limits across the two forces.
The total includes those recorded by officers out on patrol and drivers caught on equipment used by the Camera Enforcement Unit.
The unit recently took ownership of new cameras which can operate in darkness, meaning they can now deploy to areas which have been the subject of local complaints regarding night-time speeding.
Depending on how far they were exceeding the limit, the majority of offenders will either have been invited to go on a speed awareness course or issued with a fixed penalty fine. However, seven drivers were going so fast as to receive a summons to court.
Acting Chief Insp Mark Pitt, from the CDSOU said; “The number of drivers caught speeding demonstrates that enforcement action remains absolutely essential. Too many motorists are continuing to drive in an unacceptable, unsafe manner and putting lives at risk.
“As one of the ‘fatal four’, speed is a priority for this unit to tackle throughout the year. These types of campaigns are designed to raise awareness of the issue and remind motorists of the responsibility they have every time they get behind the wheel.”
Road safety experts list the ‘fatal four’ as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; not wearing a seatbelt; driver distraction, such as using mobile devices and excess or inappropriate speed.