Police catch dozens of drivers breaking road rules

Police caught 35 drivers using a mobile phone behind the wheel

Dozens of people have been caught breaking road rules in a four-day police crackdown.

Officers from Dorset Police sat in an unmarked lorry cab while it was driven around Bournemouth between 19 and 22 August.

The vehicle offered an "ideal viewing platform" because of its height, the force said.

A total of 120 offences were recorded, including drivers using mobile phones at the wheel, and not wearing seatbelts.

Sitting high-up in the HGV helps identify dangerous behaviour that is difficult to spot from standard police cars, the force says

The campaign, named Operation Tramline and funded by National Highways, saw trained officers use a video camera to record evidence from the lorry cab.

Information was then shared with roads policing officers, who intercepted the vehicles.

Across the four days, 35 people were caught using a mobile phone while driving.

A further 46 people were found to be not wearing a seatbelt.

Additionally, police detected 10 drivers "not in proper control" of their vehicles, including a motorist seen to be rolling a cigarette with no hands on the wheel.

'Most common causes of death'

Other offences, such as driving without insurance, speeding and having an insecure load, were also identified.

Three arrests were made by officers, including a suspected drug-driver, a wanted male and a vehicle allegedly taken without consent.

Insp Joe Wheable, of the Dorset Roads Policing Team, said the number of offences seen highlighted the importance of the scheme.

“Not wearing a seatbelt and being distracted while driving - including using a mobile phone - are two of the ‘fatal five’ most common causes of death and serious injuries on our roads," he said.

"Yet these were the most common offences detected during the operation."