Drones need to be 'urgently introduced' for police to track and monitor drivers on roads

Earlier in the year, Devon and Cornwall Police started using drones to record the driving habits of motorists in the area and boost road safety.

The drones can track a vehicle’s speed on the road, as well as being able to report any incidents.

​According to the RAC, the drones can record footage that could be used as evidence against drivers who exceed the speed limit.

The “high harm routes” or speeding hotspots will see particular focus in a bid to cut the number of road death and injuries to zero.

Speaking previously, Inspector Colin Harper, from Devon & Cornwall Police’s Drone team, said: "This innovative use of drones will give us early warning of any offences and allow us to be far more targeted in our approach on the ground.

“We will be deploying this technology on roads where we know motorbikes are travelling too fast, and also around dates and locations where motorcycle events are scheduled to take place.

“This technology can and will be used to help detect speeding and dangerous driving in all vehicles on our roads.”

It is believed that no other police force around the UK has trialled the technology, with road safety experts calling for increased uptake.

The technology, which can spot drivers from as far as four miles away, can even be used to see if a vehicle is insured, taxed, or even stolen.

According to the Freedom of Information request, West Yorkshire saw the most speeding tickets issued, with a staggering 224,160.

Other speeding hotspots include Avon and Somerset (173,428), Thames Valley (151,501), the West Midlands (95,903) and Surrey (87,270).

Gary Digva, founder of Road Angel, highlighted the success of the drone initiative in Devon and Cornwall, saying that delaying the introduction further is “disappointing”.

He continued, saying: “Using high-tech drones to crack down on motoring offences and record incidences of unsafe driving has the potential to transform UK roads and reduce accidents and fatalities.

“The drone scheme needs to be urgently introduced in areas such as Yorkshire and the East Midlands where police forces have recorded high incidences of dangerous driving.

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“The sooner that the technology is introduced to police forces nationwide, the quicker we will see an improvement in road accident cases.”