A five day operation by the Warwickshire Police Roads Policing Unit led to more than 100 offences being identified. The operation was run in partnership with National Highways.

The officers used a truck so they can pull up alongside other vehicles and gather video footage of offences being committed.

In total the officers stopped 75 vehicles and recorded 102 offences. These included:

• 29 mobile phone offences
• 23 seatbelt offences
• 16 speeding offences
• 8 vehicles seized for having no insurance
• 2 vehicles seized for having no tax
• A stolen Rang Rover Velar seized within two hours of being reported with two suspect arrested
• A large quantity of cannabis seized after a car was stopped for being on false plates
• A stolen Ford Fiesta seized
• A 14 ton HGV on cloned plates recovered at Warwick Services

Sergeant Shaun Bridle from the Warwickshire Police Roads Policing Unit said: “Warwickshire is at the heart of the country’s motorway network and to see this level of offending and dangerous driving is extremely concerning.

“The vast majority of these offences were people making a conscious decision to drive in a dangerous manner that put themselves and other road users at risk. People need to realise that when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle they are driving a potentially deadly weapon and they need to take responsibility for their own behaviour and the safety of others.

“We will be running this operation regularly throughout the year so if you are committing a driving offence don’t be surprised to see us driving along next to you capturing it on video. You have been warned!”

National Highways Assistant Regional Safety Co-ordinator, Marie Biddulph, said: “A successful operation for National Highways would see no illegal driving spotted on our roads. We want people to think about their driving behaviour and to help make our roads as safe as they can be. So it is disappointing that more than 100 offences were recorded in less than a week.

“But thanks to our HGV cabs a number of dangerous driving practises were halted and potential incidents averted. We will continue to work with our police partners to tackle that minority of drivers who continue to put themselves and others at risk on our roads.”

Sergeant Bridle was also keen to remind drivers that the law changed last year with regards to the use of mobile phones while driving. He said: “It is illegal to hold and use any hand held mobile phone device whilst driving. The law still applies if you’re stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver. Failure to comply can land you with a £200 fine and six points on your licence.”

This means you should not use a device in your hand for any reason; this includes:

• Illuminating the screen
• Checking the time
• Checking notifications
• Unlocking the device
• Making, receiving, or rejecting a telephone or internet based call
• Sending, receiving or uploading oral or written content
• Sending, receiving or uploading a photo or video
• Utilising camera, video, or sound recording functionality
• Drafting any text
• Accessing any stored data such as documents, books, audio files, photos, videos, films, playlists, notes or messages
• Accessing an application (such as Sat Nav or music)
• Accessing the internet