HAMPSHIRE Constabulary is urging drivers to slow down to reduce the risk of being involved in a serious collision.

The call comes after 2,470 drivers were caught speeding on road networks across Hampshire and the Thames Valley as part of a seven-day enforcement operation last month – a staggering 2,007 of them in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The majority of those, 1,845, were caught by safety camera vans, while the rest were dealt with by road patrols. Seventy per cent were male, 71 per cent were aged over 25, and 92 per cent were car drivers.

Around 75 per cent of people caught speeding during this period were travelling in 30mph or 40mph limits, which are in locations where there are often more hazards and different road users.

Sergeant Rob Heard, from the joint operations roads policing unit, said: “Research from across Europe suggests speeding is the most important factor that contributes to road deaths and serious injuries.

“The results in the space of just one week show that too many people are putting their lives in danger on our roads.

“Excessive or inappropriate speed has an appalling impact when you’re involved in a collision.”

Sgt Heard added: “The forces experiences by the human body in a collision increase exponentially as the speed increases.

“If you collide with a pedestrian at 30mph, they have an 80 per cent chance of survival, but if you collide at 40mph then the pedestrian only has a 10 per cent chance of survival.

“This is why it forms one of our ‘Fatal Four’ - speeding, hand-held mobile phone use, not wearing seat belts, and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

“Our focus on those who endanger lives on our roads is relentless through both enforcement and education.

“Nearly half of all those caught have will be offered the chance to attend a national speed awareness course as an alternative to prosecution. This approach is aimed at improving knowledge and attitudes to influence better behaviour on the roads.”

And Sgt Heard concluded: “Our message is simple - it’s not worth the risk and you massively reduce the chances of you avoiding a collision when an unexpected hazard occurs in front of you.”

•The figures show 463 people were caught speeding in the Thames Valley.