More ‘cops in cars’ are needed in England and Wales to clamp down on careless driving and wider crime, according to the AA.
The number of roads police officers has dropped by more than a thousand, or 20%, since 2016 and the AA is urging the Home Secretary to run a mass traffic officer recruitment drive.
As part of its manifesto, Labour pledged to recruit thousands of new police officers to tackle neighbourhood crime. The AA believes 1,000 of these new recruits should form part of the road traffic section of forces across the country.
A more visible police presence on the roads could significantly improve road safety. A poll of more than 11,000 drivers last month saw more than half (57%) opine that drivers can get away with careless driving due to a lack of police on the roads. Similarly, more than two-fifths of drivers said offences such as using a handheld phone behind the wheel (44%), drug driving (42%), not wearing a seatbelt (46%) and using a dangerous vehicle (43%) were going unpunished due to a reduced police presence.
And while wider use of technology such as new AI cameras to detect driving offences is welcome, only 15% of drivers agree that roads policing can be carried out by cameras alone.
Having more traffic officers could also help fight and reduce crime beyond the road. Nine out of 10 (91%) drivers said having more traffic police would make communities safer, while eight out of 10 believed believe extra traffic officers would reduce wider crime such as drug dealing.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “Be it driving offences or wider crime, public opinion suggests that too many people are simply getting away it. It’s clear that the public want to see more bobbies on the beat, so the Government’s ambition to increase the number of police officers is welcome.
“We believe there should be a wider approach to tackling crime and that more cops in cars could produce safer communities as well as safer roads. A clear and visible presence is a deterrent itself to ensure better standards of driving, as well as sending a warning signal to criminals that the chances of being caught are higher than before.”
The AA’s own motoring manifesto also highlighted how increased roads traffic policy would increase driver confidence.
Cousens elaborated: “Most traffic cops catch other crimes in the act, such as discovering stolen goods, through routine stops. Similarly a camera can spot the speeding driver, but it can’t stop them if they are under the influence of drink or drugs. Investment in traffic officers does more than improve road safety, it produces safer neighbourhoods too.”
