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Cumbria Police records 21 offences in young driver safety operation

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 7 Oct, 14:08 · Archive

Cumbria Police recorded 21 road traffic offences during a three-week national safety operation targeting young drivers.

Cumbria Police took part in Operation Spotlight, a national road safety campaign aimed at protecting young drivers. The three-week operation ran from September 14 to October 4 and targeted the 'fatal four' driving offences: speeding, using a mobile phone at the wheel, not wearing a seatbelt, and driving under the influence of drink or drugs. The operation recorded 21 interactions, resulting in a range of road traffic offences including drink and drug driving, speeding, driving without due care and attention, driving while disqualified, serious injury by dangerous driving, and tyre offences.

Inspector Holly Lockwood of Cumbria Police's Roads Policing Unit said that young drivers are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal road traffic collisions despite driving substantially fewer miles than the average driver. She identified inexperience and difficulty in assessing risk as the biggest factors in young driver safety, noting these factors are significantly worsened by drink or drug driving, distracted driving, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt.

Lockwood urged parents and friends to speak with young and new drivers about these factors in an effort to prevent serious and fatal collisions. She said: 'Parents, as well as friends, can be positive influences on such drivers so we would urge people to speak with young and new drivers about the factors at play, in the hope it can prevent serious and fatal road traffic collisions on our roads.'

One incident occurred on October 2 when officers arrested a 19-year-old following a collision on the A590 near Haverthwaite. The teenager tested positive for cocaine at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of drug driving. He was later released under investigation pending the results of blood tests.

In another case on September 12, officers stopped a car near the Travelodge on William Street in Workington. A 19-year-old driver admitted to drinking earlier in the evening. A roadside breath test showed he was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Cumbria Police records 21 offences in young driver safety operation
Image: NW Evening Mail

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In this story: Cumbria Police · Operation Spotlight · Holly Lockwood · A590 · Haverthwaite · Workington · William Street

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