Drivers in Hampshire targeted in police speeding crackdown

Earlier this year, The News revealed that Hampshire police caught 73,000 speeding drivers in 2018-19 – with nine out of 10 motoring offences recorded over this period being for speeding.

On average, 17 people are killed and 126 are seriously injured every month in the UK, with speeding believed to be a significant factor leading to the incidents.

Now, the National Police Chiefs’ Council has launched the ‘Slow Down, Save Lives’ campaign the address the issue.

Until June 7, officers will be engaging people across Hampshire to the stress the importance of driving within the speed limits.

Speeding has ‘an appalling impact’ when drivers are involved in a collision, according to PC Liz Johnson, an officer in the Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit.

PC Johnson said: ‘If you collide with a pedestrian at 30mph they have an 80 per cent chance of survival, however if you collide at 40mph then the pedestrian only has a 10 per cent chance of survival.

‘Our focus on those who endanger lives on our roads is relentless through both enforcement and education with a National Speed Awareness course as an alternative to prosecution. This approach is aimed at improving knowledge and attitudes to influence better behaviour on the roads.

‘It needs to be noted that the speed limit is a limit, not a target - there will be times when you have to drive much slower to stay in control. Drivers can become complacent about roads they are familiar with, causing them to be less alert to the road, and drive at a faster speed.’

Even in good conditions, the difference in stopping distance between 30 mph and 35mph is an extra 21ft – more than two car lengths.

PC Liz Johnson added: ‘Please do not speed. It's not worth the risk, and you will massively reduce the chances of being involved in a collision when an unexpected incident happens.’

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