Risky drivers caught on dash cams

Police have backed the use of dashboard cameras to rid the roads of reckless and dangerous drivers.

Great Southern police district superintendent Ian Clarke said the lives of too many motorists were being put at risk on major highways by drivers with a history of dangerous behaviour behind the wheel.

Great Southern police last week launched Operation Overview, the district’s new road safety campaign targeting key crash causes.

“Statistical data shows drivers who regularly offend on the roads are more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal crash,” he said.

Supt Clarke said dangerous drivers and those who deliberately flout the law by driving under suspension were on the police radar.

“They are the sorts of people we want to get off the road, people who are putting other people’s lives at risk,” he said.

“We’re interested in the people who are crossing the double white lines and putting other drivers lives at risk.

“It is potentially a 220km/h impact between two cars and people just generally don’t survive that.”

Supt Clarke said while police supported motorists using dash-cams, if they wanted to provide footage as evidence of reckless and dangerous driving they would be required to attend court to be a witness for the police prosecution case.

“It’s something that people can make a choice with, but certainly it’s proven to be extremely valuable to us when we are investigating crashes and when we are investigating poor driving,” he said.

“People are able to provide really damning evidence to those who are driving recklessly on the road.

“I certainly think it’s a great thing to have and if people choose to do that we certainly encourage it.”

Fletcher International truck driver Murray York, who shared his experiences with impatient and dangerous drivers last year by releasing footage of near misses, said poor decision-making continued to occur.

Mr York said Fletcher International had gone to the lengths of warning motorists with “We report dangerous driving” signs placed on the back of their trucks.

“Whether they read it, that’s another thing,” he said.