Police portal sees over 15,000 reckless road users captured on dashcam face action

In 2018 the force launched a new function on their website, allowing people to send dashcam footage of drivers flouting the law.

The scheme, which mainly sees clips sent in by other motorists and cyclists, cracks down on those driving carelessly or dangerously.

The online portal, created in collaboration with Nextbase, has now received 21,942 submissions for officers to review since its launch.

Over a third of the submissions have meant consequences, with 15,439 drivers reported for offences.

Up until December 2022, this saw more than 5,000 motorists attending educational courses, with many more handed penalty points and fines through the courts.

A string of submissions meant 36 drivers were banned, with a few jailed for their offending.

The team trawls through hundreds of clips each month. This has helped to reunite rightful owners with stolen vehicles as well as identify those driving with cloned plates or without insurance.

Saturday, June 22, marked six-years of the portal being in place and an officer from the force’s Roads Policing Unit has praised the team behind it and members of the public.

Inspector Phil Patterson said: “First and foremost, I would like to say a huge thank you the public for their continued help in making our dashcam portal what it is today.

“The success of the initiative is largely down to the significant support we receive from our communities each day, as they act as our eyes and ears on our region’s road network.

“This is a brilliant example of how we can work together with people to bring reckless road users to justice – and drive down the serious risks that they pose to others.

“I’d also like to commend the officers and staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to meticulously watch each submission in a bid to identify offenders and bring them to justice.

“These latest figures really are testament to their dedication and hard work – and should also serve as a warning to those drivers who regularly flout the law.”

To find out more, visit the Submit Your Dashcam Footage page on the Northumbria Police website.