Hundreds of drivers have had their vehicles seized by police and been slapped with hefty fines for failing to meet key safety requirements to travel on roads.
West Midlands Police revealed that more than 700 vehicles were taken off the roads in the last month for having no insurance, averaging around 25 vehicles every single day.
The force also seized roughly 30 cars and issued penalties for dangerous driving as part of a targeted operation in Binley, Coventry.
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The enforcement operation took place last month, with the force already seeing a 15 per cent reduction in serious collisions compared to the same period in 2024 due to the added pressure put on drivers.
More than 700 vehicles were seized by police for failing to have car insurance in the last month
|WEST MIDLANDS POLICE
Drivers were issued fines for committing four fatal offences, including speeding, driving under the influence, mobile phone use and failing to wear a seatbelt.
Under UK law, if found guilty, motorists could be hit with an unlimited fine and up to 14 years in prison for dangerous driving offences. In more serious cases, drivers can be given lifetime driving bans.
Police also managed to recover a stolen Toyota, which was taken using a keyless theft method, and returned it to its owner.
A stolen Mini was also retrieved, with officers detaining two suspects after finding the car key in one of their pockets.
The mini was recovered by the police and returned to the owner
|WEST MIDLANDS POLICE
The force uncovered a cloned BMW 540, which failed to stop on the M5 and drove dangerously and even went the wrong way down Queslett Road.
After a pursuit, the police detailed how all four occupants were arrested, with the car found to have been stolen during a burglary in Walsall.
Meanwhile, in Coventry, the Road Crime Team spotted a cloned car linked to a man who had been on the run from prison for nearly three years.
He was finally tracked down and arrested and found to have a knife in his waistband, a machete, £3,000 in cash, and a large quantity of Class A drugs.
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Superintendent Jack Hadley, Head of the Roads Policing Unit, said: "Every time we stop a dangerous driver or recover a stolen vehicle, we know we’re doing more than enforcing the law, we’re also protecting lives.
"Behind every incident is a person, a family, a community. That's why our teams are out there 24/7, working with urgency and care."
He warned that the police have taken more steps to prevent serious crime, making sure people feel safe on the roads. "Whether it's a stolen vehicle linked to a burglary or a reckless driver putting others at risk, we act quickly and decisively." Mr Hadley stated.
In a separate operation last week, 21 drivers were reported for a variety of offences such as illegal registration plates, tinted windows, having no insurance and using a mobile phone while driving.
Police arrested more than 30 drivers for traffic offences
|WEST MIDLANDS POLICE
Drivers caught with illegal number plates can be slapped with a £1,000 fine, as well as penalty points on their licence.
The joint operation included colleagues from the DVSA, DVLA, Coventry Council, and taxi licencing from Nuneaton, as well as Bedworth local authorities. It saw seven vehicles were seized for no tax, no insurance and other offences.
Detective Inspector Andrew Mitcham shared: "We take road safety seriously, and this operation forms part of the Safer Streets Summer national initiative running in town centres and high streets across the UK, focusing on antisocial behaviour, retail and street crime.
"We regularly conduct road operations working with communities and partners to create safer roads for everyone, deterring criminals who abuse the road network."