Hi-tech police road cameras that scan drivers' faces to cover 70 Midland sites

Thousands of drivers using major roads have been warned as a police force rolls out high-tech vans to crack down on poor driving. Warwickshire Police has introduced a fleet of new speed enforcement vans, fitted with the latest mobile camera technology, that will be stationed at more than 70 sites.

Introduced this week, the vans will be positioned on the county’s 'high harm routes' - which include major arterial routes used by drivers across the country. The force said it regularly saw a high number of "extreme or repeat speeders."

Driver behaviour can also be monitored after one motorist was caught taking both his hands off the wheel to swear at police.

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The vans also pick up vehicle registration, facial positions and how motorists use their hands to pick up things like phones. Already one driver has been snapped looking directly at his phone and another was stopped for speeding and no insurance.

Police and crime commissioner and chair of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership, Philip Seccombe, said the vans move the county closer to its "ambitious target" of halving the number of deaths and serious injuries on Warwickshire's roads by 2030. The force shared snapshots of drivers already caught out by the speeding vans.

Warwickshire Police said the vans had high-specification cameras, which aimed to provide clear images, and better facial identification of the driver. They can also capture other offences which may be missed by traditional detection, such as not wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone while driving.

They can even detect a driver not in a position to have proper control of a vehicle and vehicles in a dangerous condition. ANPR is also fitted to both sides of the vans to help with "intelligence gathering."

'Many drivers caught are not from Warwickshire'

Infrared lighting allows the vans to be used at night. Insp Dave Valente, of Warwickshire Police, said: “We are proud of our growing reputation of being tough on speeding drivers in Warwickshire. This reflects the proactive, preventative approach we are taking alongside Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership to reducing speeding, as we know the harm and devastation that collisions cause to families.

“Many drivers caught speeding are not from Warwickshire, as we have several main arterial routes through the county, used by thousands of drivers from across the UK every day. Fines and points still play a part but educating those drivers who speed is vital, as our priority is to change behaviour to make our roads safer and all those eligible will be offered a speed awareness course.

“Whilst there are plenty of good drivers on our roads, clearly some still drive too fast for the roads and conditions and extreme or repeat speeders may find themselves going straight to court where the consequences are more significant.

“If you do not want to be caught speeding in Warwickshire, do not exceed the speed limit. It’s as simple as that.”

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