MEMBERS of the public have been praised for playing a "significant role" in a 70 per cent rise in reports of driving offences in West Yorkshire.

Operation Snap is a system designed for the public to submit footage of traffic offences committed by other road users, thereby contributing to road safety.

Personal Injury Claims UK obtained figures from West Yorkshire Police detailing each submission under Operation Snap in the area.

People in West Yorkshire made a total of 2,001 reports between January and March this year complaining about fellow road users to the police for their alleged shoddy driving.

Another example of bad driving on West Yorkshire roads. (Image: West Yorkshire Police)

Of these, over 500 were made by those living in the Bradford district.

Based on these figures so far, reports could exceed 8,000 by the end of 2024 under Operation Snap. 

The previous year, 2023, saw a total of 7,836 submissions

West Yorkshire Police welcomes the increased use of Operation Snap by the public.

They say it "indicates a clear commitment from the public to work with the police to make the road network safer for everyone”. 

Earlier this year, police released a video exposing examples of shocking driving on West Yorkshire's roads.

Officers said all the motorists included in the footage have been prosecuted.

A segment of the clip shows a lorry leaving a cyclist without any room on Dick Lane.

It comes after other road users caught the poor driving on camera and sent their video to the force as part of Operation Snap.

Vehicle drivers have been particularly vigilant about whom they share the roads with, contributing 50 per cent of the total 2,001 reports made to the police. 

Cyclists were the second most frequent reporters of driving offences, making 757 attempts to report other road users.

Submissions can range from driving dangerously or carelessly to overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone while driving, ignoring traffic lights or dangerous driving around other road users, such as horse riders and cyclists.

1,453 incidents were reported to the police for driving without reasonable consideration for others and without due care and attention. 

Figures indicate that 67 per cent of all reports in the region under Operation Snap resulted in offenders being punished for their actions on the road.

Most offenders received educational courses or were granted a conditional offer, whilst 335 of the submissions led to no further action.

Operation Snap is a response to the increasing submissions of video and photographic evidence relating to driving offences to which members of the public have witnesses.

Despite being formally introduced in 2017, Operation SNAP was not rolled out by the majority of police forces around the UK until 2021. Since then, dashcam submissions have increased exponentially. 

There is a distinctive correlation between the introduction of Operation SNAP and dashcam submissions received from the public and the actual rate of police intervention driving offences.

According to the national dashcam safety portal, roughly 70 per cent of dashcam footage submissions have led to warning letters, penalty points, driver awareness courses, and further prosecutions.

This could mean that dashcam footage submissions to the police are leading to as many as 90,000 motoring convictions, prosecutions or warnings per year.

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: “Inappropriate speed and unsafe driver behaviour are common features in many crashes resulting in death and injury.

“West Yorkshire Police enforces road traffic offences on the road network as part of our

‘Vision Zero’ commitment to eliminate all avoidable road deaths by 2040.

"In addition to education and enforcement activity by police officers, Operation Snap provides a genuine opportunity for the public to address poor driver behaviour by sharing digital footage with the police.

“Most offending drivers will be offered a retraining course as an alternative to prosecution, while more serious and repeat offenders are likely to receive a fixed penalty and points or face a court appearance.

“The police welcome the increased use of Op Snap which indicates a clear commitment from the public to work with the police to make the road network safer for everyone.”