Scotland Yard calls for motorists to shop bad drivers with dashcam and headcam footage

6 September 2019, 14:56

A Met Police campaign to get drivers and cyclists to send dashcam and headcam footage of illegal driving has led to 2,305 convictions in the first half of 2019, the force announced today.

The first six months of this year has seen Met Police officers arrest and convict more than 2,000 dangerous drivers with the help of dashcam and headcam footage.

The Met enforced 2,305 cases where the footage has been used as evidence in a criminal case.

Since the beginning of 2019 4028 cases have been submitted where the victim has submitted headcam or dashcam evidence.

The figures released show that between 1 January to 30 June, of the 4028 cases that were submitted...

- 2305 were prosecuted

- 353 people were given a warning

-1370 people received no further action against them

Pauline Pateman-West, the Met's Head of Traffic Prosecutions, said: “Since inception of the online reporting facility, my office has seen significant increases in members of the public reporting offences of bad driving."

"My team work very hard to deliver justice - the more serious offenders will face court action but we take a balanced and proportionate view and seek to educate drivers where appropriate too."

"We have seen some excellent results and this is great news for road safety.”

She continued: "The benefits of dash cam/head cam footage are great and they are really helping police tackle dangerous driving, road rage attacks and violence – all of which have no place on London’s streets."

"With the use of this footage, officers are able to track down suspects and make sure that those who are a risk to themselves and the public are found and appropriate police action is taken."

“This is one of the many tactics that officers are using to help achieve Vision Zero - a plan devised in partnership with Transport for London and the Mayor’s Office aimed at reducing deaths on the Capital’s roads by 2041.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, from the Met's Roads and Transport Command, said: “The use of dash cam footage in cars, and head cam footage from cyclists, has been extremely helpful for both victims and officers."

“Whilst it is great to see the benefits that the footage can bring to investigations, I am sure that there are many people who are not sharing their footage of incidents with the police – maybe because they do not know how to share it with us or do not feel comfortable doing so."

“Anyone who has dashcam or headcam footage of a collision or incident can upload it to www.met.police.uk/dashcam and the footage is treated with absolute confidence by officers.”