North Yorkshire Police have introduced a scheme with an aim of improving road safety.
The public report any incidents of road safety concern using a form on the North Yorkshire Police’s website. All the data is collated and then analysed. If repeat offenders or areas of higher concern are identified then it will create a response from the police.
The two tools open to the police are:
- Enforcement
- Education
The operation, dubbed Op Spartan aims to improve the attitudes of those who use our roads and increase the level of safety for all. It is particularly focusing on vulnerable road users.
Op Spartan driving concern form can be found https://northyorkshire.police.uk/what-we-do/road-policing/operation-spartan/
‘Vulnerable’ road users are classed as those who may be disproportionately involved in collisions; for example bikers, occupational road users and young drivers, as well as anyone who poses a risk to themselves or others by their behaviour on the roads.
The online form:
Spartan is a force-wide operation where officers and the public are encouraged to submit intelligence regarding instances of anti-social use of vehicles or poor driving.
You can submit details of instances of dangerous or anti-social driving.The driving concern form captures the details of the incident and requests information such as vehicle number plate, so police can carry out the relevant checks and follow up with engagement or enforcement if required.
Speaking about the operation and driving concern form, Insp Dave Barf of the Roads Policing Group said: We are appealing to members of the public to come forward and share the instances of poor driving and anti-social behaviour that they have witnessed, to assist us in taking the necessary steps to increase the safety of North Yorkshire’s roads.
With liveried police vehicles being highly identifiable on the road, the opportunities for traffic officers to witness poor driving are somewhat reduced. However, I know that members of the public very often witness or experience behavior such as tail-gating, inappropriate speed, aggressive driving and mobile phone use. These are all examples of vulnerable road use and we want the public to report this behaviour to us, so we can act on the information and put the relevant response into place, to prevent future serious collisions.
If anyone witnesses any kind of driving behaviour which raises their concern, I would ask them to report it to us via the online driving concern form. I would of course ask them to do so when it is safe, appropriate and convenient and not from behind the wheel.
The Major Collision Investigation Team will collate the information and then take the appropriate course of action. This may be the registered owner of the vehicle is contacted by letter to suggest that their driving behaviour be amended to avert possible future collisions. More serious reports may involve a personal visit by a traffic officer and could ultimately result in prosecution.
If the anti-social driving behaviour results in an emergency or immediate risk, please use either 999 or 101.
The aim of North Yorkshire Police through Op Spartan is to make the roads of North Yorkshire safer and lower the instances of serious collisions and road deaths by identifying and educating those who are seen as being at risk of causing themselves or others harm.
Op Spartan updates will be published via the force website and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NorthYorkshirePolice/
You can also follow the operation on Twitter @NYPOpSpartan
Dash cam footage can be emailed directly to OpSpartan@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
