Fed up police get eyes on the street

Police are fed up with drivers thumbing their nose at the law as an average of five vehicles a week are seized for driving under suspension or hooning offences.

Almost 50 vehicles have each been impounded for 28 days in the past three months, with drivers caught driving under demerit and court ordered suspensions featuring prominently in the figures released by the Great Southern traffic enforcement group this week.

The automatic penalty of losing your vehicle for almost a month has not always driven home the message to drivers.

Great Southern Traffic Sergeant Peter May said there was no excuse for driving under suspension.

“They are thumbing their nose not only at the legal system, but also the community,” he said.

“With most of them their excuses are a lie. There is no credible reason or excuse.

“The majority of people are driving under suspension or court ordered suspension…it’s pretty alarming.”

Seventeen drivers this month had their vehicles impounded, while 19 received the same penalty in July.

Sgt May said two advanced traffic management vehicles deployed in the region since March had the ability to rapidly scan number plates of passing vehicles, leading to more vehicles being detected.

Each vehicle boasts an integrated electronic and computer system, allowing officers to collect and process data through four roof mounted cameras.

“It definitely assists the officers,” he said.

“The spinoff of the automated system is it gives us four eyes on the street, not just two.

“We ask for the community to take responsibility and dob people in.

“They can do it anonymously.”