Hampshire Constabulary is supporting a European-wide week-long campaign to target speeding motorists. TISPOL’s Speed Enforcement Campaign launches today and runs until Sunday (August 26).

Police across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be patrolling roads where speed is a regular contributory factor in collisions.

They will be enforcing the speed limit educating drivers about the dangers of taking unnecessary risks on the road.

Locally, the campaign is led by the Roads Policing unit with support from the Safer Roads unit and Safer Neighbourhoods teams.

Sergeant Andy Tester from the Whitchurch Roads Policing unit said: “We patrol the roads year-round, enforcing speed limits and educating drivers about the risks. During the Speed Enforcement Week we’ll be focusing our resources on those roads where speed is often identified as a contributory factor in collisions.

“If you’re speeding, the chances are you will be caught in which case you could receive a fine, points on your licence, be disqualified from driving or prosecuted if your driving is deemed to be dangerous.”

In the last three years (2009-11) speed was identified as a contributory factor in 36 fatal collisions and 425 serious injury collisions.

Sgt Tester continued: “Remember, the speed limit is the maximum legal speed for the road, not a target. I would always urge motorists to drive at a speed that’s appropriate to the conditions such as visibility, weather and the presence of other road users.

“Increasing your speed increases the risk of having an accident because it reduces the amount of time you have to respond to hazards.

“Put simply, speeding on the roads puts you, your loved-ones and other road users at a greater risk of being killed or seriously injured.”