Reckless drivers are being warned to change their ways as motorists turn to dash cam footage to record the actions of rule breakers on busy roads.
According to a Freedom of Information request, an average of 342 pieces of dash cam footage were submitted to the police every single day in 2023.
The FOI found that across police forces in England and Wales, there has been a 77 per cent increase in dash cam submissions to traffic cops between 2021 and the end of 2023.
Around 70 per cent of dash cam footage submissions lead to police action, ranging from warning letters to penalty points, prosecutions and fines, and potentially even jail time.
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Around 70 per cent of dash cam footage submissions led to police action
GETTY
South Yorkshire was highlighted as the most popular area for dash cam snitching with a 1,882 per cent increase in submissions to the police in the past two years from drivers in this region.
Hampshire came in second with a 469 per cent increase in submissions in the past two years followed by Humberside at 205 per cent, Warwickshire at 191 per cent increases and finally Lincolnshire with 172 per cent increases.
The data revealed a total of 176,000 confirmed dash cam video submissions were made in the past three years from 26 police forces across the country.
Research estimated that 90,000 police punishments were dished out as a result of the footage.
The most common illegal driving activity motorists captured on dash cam footage was the use of mobile phones behind the wheel.
Speeding was second followed by running a red light, middle lane hogging on the motorway and undertaking.
Google search data showed that buying and installing dash cams in both private and commercial vehicles was growing in popularity, with 49,500 searches for “dash cam” in the UK per month on average.
This search history is up 49 percent in the last three months and up 22 per cent in the last year alone.
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “There is no doubt that video footage of offences can be very useful in changing driver behaviour.
“We often hear that drivers take fewer risks and are more patient and courteous as they fear being caught on dash cam and facing prosecution.
“In road safety terms this change of driving behaviour is invaluable in reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.”
Andrew Davies from iCompario, which commissioned the FOI, explained that dash cams are vital to improving road safety.
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Drivers can be hit with fines of up to £200 if they use their phone at the wheel GETTYHe stated that they can prevent false claims, lower insurance and as the findings show, ensure those driving dangerously are held accountable.
Data from iCompario revealed how 75 per cent of Brits believe that dash cams should be used by all drivers in a bid to clamp down on motoring offences.
