ROADS policing officers across Hampshirehave taken part in a week-long crackdown on drivers who speed.

The Joint Roads Policing Unit, which forms part of the Joint Operations Unit, is taking part in a European-wide crackdown, as part of Tispol – the European Traffic Police Network – speed enforcement campaign which kicked off last Monday.

The aim of the campaign was to enforce speed limits for all vehicles and draw greater attention to the consequences of excessive speed.

Road safety sergeant Rob Heard said: “The facts speak for themselves. If you hit a pedestrian at 40mph then they only have a survival chance of 10 per cent, whereas of you hit a pedestrian at 30mph then they have an 80 per cent chance of survival, so please drive appropriately, it’s not worth the risk.”

Statistics show that exceeding the speed limit or travelling too fast for the conditions are key factors in 20 per cent of all fatal casualties, 12 per cent of serious casualties and 10 per cent of the total casualties across the Joint Operations Unit region.

Sergeant Heard said: “A few miles an hour over the speed limit or travelling at inappropriate speed can have catastrophic results for road users and their families, many of whom also suffer lasting and profound consequences from collisions where a loved one has been killed or seriously injured. Excessive speed will reduce the time you have to react to a hazard and further the distance it takes for you to stop.”

He continued: “People need to realise it’s a speed limit and not a target, so it may be more appropriate to travel at a lower speed for their own safety depending on the road conditions.”

And Sgt Heard added: “We are committed to increasing road safety and will continue to target those who fail to abide by the speed limits.

“We are also reminding the drivers of good vehicles that on certain roads they are restricted to lower speeds.

“The majority of commercial vehicle drivers do drive considerately and legitimately on our highways, however we are catching far too many van drivers who are not aware of such speed restrictions.

“To help drivers we have created the two images for goods vehicles of different sizes to help them remember their limits.”