‘Idiot’ drivers in Devon and Cornwall filmed risking their lives

New footage of “idiotic” motorists risking their lives and the lives of others by overtaking dangerously and narrowly approaching them has been released by police. The drivers were among a number caught on dash cams by members of the public who reported them to Devon and Cornwall Police’s Operation Snap, which has caught more than 2,000 drivers since it launched in 2019.

The footage shows dangerous overtaking of vehicles and close overtaking of cyclists, as well as a driver running a red light near Exeter. The offences took place in Devon and Cornwall and the road safety team said each of the near misses could have “easily” resulted in a serious accident.

A motorist was caught on camera overtaking on the wrong side of the A361 North Devon Link road. He was charged with careless driving and fined £1,032 and given five penalty points. Meanwhile, a van driver on the M5 was fined £190 and given three penalty points after he was caught on camera swerving dangerously on the M5 exit slip road at junction 29.

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In another incident, a BMW narrowly avoided colliding with a pedestrian as it prepared to do doughnuts on Webland Lane, Marley Head. Also guilty of driving without a licence, they were fined £400 and given eight points on their licence.

Adrian Leisk, Devon and Cornwall Police’s head of road safety, said the “vast majority” of road users in the area are careful and considerate, but a minority pose a “significant risk” to others. He said: “We really hope that Operation Snap will act as a deterrent to that minority who think they will go undetected by driving horribly.”

“Many of these videos could easily have resulted in a serious collision, with people never returning home to their loved ones. We are so grateful to the hundreds of road users who send us footage every month, allowing us to hold these incredibly dishonest drivers to account. You are literally saving lives by doing this.

Op Snap allows citizens to submit video evidence of traffic offences directly to the police, using increasingly common dash cams. Mr Leisk added: “As more people install dash cams and submit their footage to Op Snap, drivers are realising that dangerous and reckless driving is much more likely to be caught on camera and sanctioned by the police.

“But you can’t just submit dash cam footage: Op Snap can act on video clips from virtually any device, including cell phones, video doorbells, motorcycle, bike and helmet cameras.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Vice Chair of Vision Zero South West Road Safety Partnership, added: “We are collectively committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads of Devon and Cornwall.

“Initiatives like Op Snap play an important role in this area by helping us identify those who are not driving to the required standards. I would like to thank everyone who has sent footage to Op Snap and encourage anyone who witnesses dangerous or poor driving to do the same. This will help keep our roads and residents safe.”