Experts have urged the UK Government to roll out more police officers to monitor traffic on roads and help improve safety for pedestrians.
The AA has called on the new Labour Government to add 1,000 new police officers to target road crimes as part of its recent manifesto which called on the Home Office to tackle neighbourhood crime.
The latest stats found that across England and Wales, there were only 4,215 traffic officers, considerably less than the highest point recorded in March 2016 (5,237).
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “Be it driving offences or wider crime, public opinion suggests that too many people are simply getting away with it.
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Drivers caught speeding can be fined £100
PA"It’s clear that the public want to see more bobbies on the beat, so the Government’s ambition to increase the number of police officers is welcome.
“We believe there should be a wider approach to tackling crime and that more cops in cars could produce safer communities as well as safer roads.
“A clear and visible presence is a deterrent itself to ensure better standards of driving, as well as sending a warning signal to criminals that the chances of being caught are higher than before.”
In a poll of 11,469 drivers conducted last month, more than half (57 per cent) said they thought drivers could get away with careless driving due to a lack of police on the roads.
Similarly, more than two-fifths of drivers warned that offences such as using a phone behind the wheel (44 per cent), drug driving (42 per cent), not wearing a seatbelt (46 per cent) and using a dangerous vehicle (43 per cent) were going unpunished due to a reduced police presence.
But despite the use of more artificial intelligence cameras to catch drivers breaking the rules, only 15 per cent of drivers agree that road policing can be carried out by cameras alone.
Other data points found that nine out of 10 (91 per cent) drivers think having more traffic police would make communities safer.
Cousens added: “Most traffic cops catch other crimes in the act, such as discovering stolen goods, through routine stops.
“Similarly, a camera can spot the speeding driver, but it can’t stop them if they are under the influence of drink or drugs. Investment in traffic officers does more than improve road safety, it produces safer neighbourhoods too.”
A further eight out of 10 motorists believe that an increase in police officers could help reduce crimes on the roads.
There are AI cameras in operations across 11 regions around the UK including Durham, Greater Manchester Police, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley Police, Sussex and Warwickshire.
The cameras have the ability to capture an image of the vehicle and can help detect whether a driver is using a phone while behind the wheel.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
AA called for at least 1,000 more police officers to be rolled out
PADrivers who are caught speeding can be fined £100 and slapped with three penalty points on a driving licence.
A Government spokesperson said: “We have made a commitment to delivering safer streets to secure more communities and restore confidence in policing.
“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will provide a more visible police presence and give every community a named local officer, alongside thousands more officers going into neighbourhood policing roles.
“Under the joint Roads Policing Review, we are collaborating on a range of pilots which will test improvements to roads policing capabilities.”
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