Drivers warned police are using child informations to catch speeding motorists

Police are using children to help catch speeding drivers in Essex just days after the launch of new rules. Essex Police has taken the unusual step of getting help from local primary school children to tackle speeding drivers near their school grounds.

Pupils were taking part in School Speedwatch as part of their road safety awareness lessons, organised by Essex Highways, on Wednesday 20 November. The year 6 pupils identified speeding motorists at their Oakwood Hill site, the police force has confirmed in a new statement.

The kids then alerted the Roads Policing officers, who stopped speeding motorists, drivers and road users, taking part in the morning school run and workers on their commute. The speed limit of the road was 30mph, but 11 drivers were driving between 35 and 39mph, a further 7 drivers were in the 40mph range, police have said.

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One driver caught at 38mph was running on four flat tyres, too. And there was one driver who hit 50mph and wasn’t insured to drive. Essex Police said: "Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

"More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police." The police force in the East of England added: "We're offering more ways for our communities to stay up to date with our work across Essex.

"Our e-newsletter, Dispatch, delivers news, information, and advice from Essex Police. Dispatch is a ‘one stop shop’ for local police news – direct from the source. Sign up is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time."