We joined police as they started their speed enforcement week in FarehamÂ

JUST a few miles per hour quicker can mean the difference between life and death.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jan 2019, 09:18 BST
Updated 15th Jan 2019, 10:23 BST
Checking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur RahmanChecking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Checking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur Rahman

That is what Hampshire Police's road safety team told The News at their speeding awareness launch in outside Baycroft School and Crofton School in Gosport Road, Stubbington.

Road safety Sergeant Rob Heard said: '˜If someone is hit at 40mph they have an 10 per cent chance of surviving but if someone is hit at 30pmh they have an 80 per cent chance of surviving.

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'˜People don't realise how a few miles quicker can have such devastating consequences.'

Checking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur RahmanChecking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Checking the speed of traffic, Road safety constable Dave Mitchell and PC Liz Johnson. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Over his 27-year career, Sgt Heard has visited more than 300 fatal accidents.

He said: '˜When we are in our cars they may be warm and comfortable but in reality they are lethal weapons. Tonnes of metal moving at speed can have serious consequences and in my time the fatalities I have attended, the majority of those were where someone was travelling at an inappropriate speed.'

The team spent the morning stopping and educating drivers, including a special needs taxi, a lorry and an elderly lady on speeding and handed out notices to those who had exceeded the limit.

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In the afternoon in Fareham town centre to reinforce their message which is part of the National Police Chiefs Council speed enforcement week.

Sargent Rob Heard of the Road Safety Team. Picture: Habibur RahmanSargent Rob Heard of the Road Safety Team. Picture: Habibur Rahman
Sargent Rob Heard of the Road Safety Team. Picture: Habibur Rahman

Road safety officer Dave Mitchell said: '˜It is always something officers are on the lookout for but this is just to focus in and raise awareness to the public the dangers of speeding.

'˜We have come here as this is a speeding hot spot going round the road for want of a better word but especially since it is by a school it is important to raise awareness to the public of reducing their speed.'

Constable Mitchell added: '˜We have had three pedestrians this morning already tell us that it is good to see us out and most people have very strong feelings about speeding in their own village but elsewhere it seems not to matter.

'˜I think there is also the point that members of the public see it as a lesser offence and something that everybody just does but it is not and it can have truly awful consequences.'Â