Motorists with dashcams fitted in their vehicles could assist the police in catching reckless drivers thanks to online submission. Across England and Wales, numerous local police forces are allowing drivers to report instances of driving offences they witness via Operation Snap.
In an effort to make roads safer for all users, the police have simplified the process for drivers to report driving offences with either dashcam, CCTV, or mobile phone footage taken by a passenger.
The police will accept footage of a broad range of offences, including careless driving, using a mobile phone while driving, overtaking on solid white lines, running a red light, and not being in proper control of a vehicle. However, there are certain guidelines set out by law enforcement regarding what should and shouldn’t be submitted.
How your footage will be used by the police
When a driver submits footage that they believe depicts a motoring offence, it will initially be reviewed by a team to determine if an offence has indeed been committed and whether the footage is of sufficient quality. If the police conclude that an offence has been committed, they can undertake a number of actions depending on the type and severity of the offence.
This includes:
- Issuing an advisory letter to the offender
- Inviting the offender to an educational course
- Sending a fixed penalty notice (FPN)
- Seeking prosecution
The offender may receive an advisory letter, be invited to an educational course, receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN), or face prosecution. In certain instances, the police might reach out to the individual who submitted the footage for additional details about the incident.
They could also request the person who provided the footage to supply more evidence or even appear in court.
For instance, guidance from Greater Manchester Police states: “Specially trained staff review each clip and outcomes can range from warning letters to action from the central ticket office in terms of fines and further prosecution, each outcome in terms of whether further action or no action was taken communicated directly to the person submitting the report further down the line. Other reports are used as key evidence for ongoing intelligence.”
How to send in a report
Before submitting any footage, it is recommended that you ensure you can provide the registration number of the offending vehicle and that it is clearly visible in the footage. You must also upload your footage within seven days of the suspected offence.
This is due to the fact that police can only serve a notice of intended prosecution for some offences within 14 days of the alleged incident. However, this rule does not apply to mobile phone use.
Police guidance has also emphasised that several suspected offences cannot be reported through Operation Snap, such as:
- Parking complaints (these more likely need to reported to a local authority)
- Heavily tinted glass on a vehicle
- Smoked or tinted number plates
- Road traffic collisions (this is reported through a different process)
Before submitting any footage, you may also be required to provide some personal details such as name, email address, or phone number. A number of different constabularies across the country operate their own online forms for submitting footage via operation snap, including:
This is not an exhaustive list of all Operation Snap forms across the country. If you want to submit footage of an alleged offence through Operation Snap and you can’t find the link above, contact your local station for more information and guidance.