East London News A Force for the community…
THE VOLUME OF traffic on London streets has been greatly reduced during Lockdown – but the number of deaths on the road has been worryingly high. Since Lockdown began, eight people have died in collisions on London roads.
It is hard to believe that the deaths are unconnected with excessive speed. Over the period which saw eight deaths, 89 people have been charged with driving at excessive speed – some at well over 100mph.
While the sight of a fairly open road would please most drivers as they realised they could actually drive at the speed limit, it seems that a small number of drivers respond to clear roads by pretending they are in a video game or driving simulator and putting their foot down. Others then suffer the consequences.
Research has shown that driving at excessive speed is one of the most dangerous traffic offences which drivers can commit – alongside using a mobile while driving, not wearing a seatbelt and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
With this in mind, the Metropolitan Police has set up a new Road Crime Team to process intelligence on known dangerous drivers. The police also have access to data which shows which roads carry traffic which regularly breaks the speed limit for that road. With all this in place, the Metropolitan Police have warned drivers that speed limits will be enforced, with action being taken against all those driving at excessive speeds.
Commander Kyle Gordon of the Metropolitan Police, said: “Traffic volume in London has fallen by around 60% in recent weeks and the vast majority of Londoners have heeded government advice to stay at home. Unfortunately, some individuals have sought to exploit the quieter roads and used this opportunity to drive at excessive speed.
“Driving at this speed we have detected is dangerous and socially irresponsible at this time. Our officers are out across London 24/7 and will be using all of the means available to us to ensure road users drive responsibly throughout this period to keep everyone safe.
“High-risk driving results in serious injuries and fatalities, which cause devastation for everyone involved. So far during the lockdown period we have seen eight fatal road traffic accidents and several more resulting in serious injuries, leaving families utterly devastated.
“At this unprecedented time, dealing with road traffic accidents puts a lot of additional and unnecessary strain on the NHS and other emergency services, who are working on the frontline 24 hours a day to keep us all safe.”
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