Two days of action to improve road safety across the county

Officers from Northamptonshire Police joined colleagues from partner agencies for two days of action last month (August) as part of their ongoing commitment to improve road safety in the county.

Supported by colleagues from the Special Constabulary and Response, the Roads Policing and Safer Roads Teams led the spot-check operation in partnership with DVSA, HMRC and local authority trading standards.

Focusing on both sides of the county, checkpoints were set up at Nene Valley Retail Park in Northampton on August 22 before relocating to the Tesco Extra store in St James Road, Corby, two days later.

Over the two events, three drivers received words of advice, and 18 fixed penalty tickets were issued for the following offences:

• Four vehicles had defective tyres
• Three driving without a valid MOT
• Three vehicles had window tints which were illegal
• Two drivers were using their mobile phones behind the wheel
• Two vehicles were in a dangerous condition
• One passenger was not wearing a seat belt
• One person was driving otherwise in accordance with a licence
• One vehicle had defective steering
• And one vehicle had an insecure load.

In addition to the motoring offences, a further nine drivers had their vehicles seized – seven for no insurance, one for no tax and one for having neither a licence nor insurance.

While one driver – a 21-year-old man from Rushden – was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after being stopped in St James Mill Road, Northampton on August 20.

He was subsequently charged with driving a motor vehicle when alcohol level above the limit and driving without third party insurance. He has been bailed to appear before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on September 24.

Partners from DVSA also gave 25 people words of advice following inspection of their vehicles, issuing issued 19 immediate prohibition notices which prevented the drivers from continuing their journeys until the defects and offences were rectified, which included two vehicles that were over the weight limit.

Delayed prohibition notices were also issued to 31 drivers. This means that although the driver could continue with their journey, the owner of the vehicle had up to 10 days to fix the defect before re-inspection.

While Northamptonshire Trading Standards dealt with 27 drivers issuing words of advice for both breaches of consumer (11) and council (six) regulations as well as waste licence offences (six).

Finally, one taxi driver had his licence suspended due to the condition of his vehicle – the rear bumper was taped on – and one driver was spoken to after their vehicle was found to be using red diesel.

Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Team Manager Matthew O’Connell said: “With the support of our partners, days of action like this enables us work together to improve driving standards and remove unsafe vehicle from our roads.

“It’s easy to trivialise or criticise operations such as this as being motivated by ticket numbers or to raise revenue, but it only takes one poorly maintained vehicle or momentary lapse of concentration for a collision to take place.

“We see, all too often, the devastating consequences collisions can have on those involved or left behind following the loss of a loved one so, we are not going to apologise for policing our roads and challenging those who use them irresponsibly and illegally.

“Everyone needs to play their part to ensure everyone using our roads get home safely and one of the most basic, but essential, ways to do this is to make sure you and your vehicle are fit for the road.”

Tragically in 2023, after being involved in a road collision in Northamptonshire, 29 people never returned home safely to their loved ones, and 271 required urgent medical assistance for serious and life-changing injuries.

Anyone with information about road safety concerns or any vehicle crime is asked to report it online at www.northants.police.uk/reportonline or call Northamptonshire Police on 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Always call 999 in the event of an emergency, such as a crime in progress or where life is at risk.