SUSSEX: Report antisocial motorists online

Report antisocial motorists online

Motorists fed up with careless, inconsiderate, rude and thoughtless drivers now have a direct reporting line to the police.

The Operation Crackdown website, previously used solely by Sussex Police for abandoned vehicles, has now been expanded to cover antisocial driving as well.

Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Paine said, "People all over Sussex have told us that antisocial driving — lack of consideration for other road users — is a major concern for them and it is for us too.

"With the launch of this partnership project, they can now tell us about the motorists and riders who cause frustration, anger or worse to law-abiding road users, secure in the knowledge we will act on that information.

"Our message is don't tolerate it, report it."

Contacting the website — www.operationcrackdown.org — will allow complainants to record full details of incidents that have happened on the roads.

This can include careless driving, wheel spinning, tailgating, using hand-held mobile phones, abandoned vehicles and more.

Details provided by the public will be entered on a database managed by Sussex Police and analysed.

Any action taken will depend on the type of information and the risks posed to the motoring public.

Persistent offenders — such as boy racers — will be targeted by police. Repeat offenders could either receive a letter or be visited by a local officer to talk about modifying their driver behaviour.

Leaflets giving details will be available at Sussex libraries, help points, police stations and fire stations, as well as many other outlets.

Clear guidance of what to do is contained in the leaflet together with warnings to drivers to pull over safely before writing down details.

Associated bus and radio advertising campaigns are also being launched to ensure as many Sussex residents and visitors as possible are warned to watch their driving because more eyes are on them than ever before.

Even though
members of the public will be encouraged to use the website, which can be accessed 24 hours a day, there is also a phone number for people with no internet access — 01243 642222.

Calls will be handled by the West Sussex County Council Contact Centre, which is out sourced to and operated by Liberata.

ACC Paine said, "Operation Crackdown has been very successful in terms of cracking down on abandoned vehicles.

"We now want that success to continue through this expansion of the project, which will help make our roads and neighbourhoods safer, better places to live and work."

Operation Crackdown is a joint initiative by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership which incorporates Sussex Police, West and East Sussex County Councils, East and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Services, plus District and Borough Councils across the county, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and the DVLA.

http://www.bexhillobserver.net/eastbourne-news/Report-antisocial-motorists-online.3167766.jp