Motoring Incidents Involving Video or Photo Footage and Mobile Phones 2020 and 2021
Keywords
Motoring, Incidents, Video, Photo, Footage, Mobile, Phones, Submissions, Public, Prosecutions, Fines, Driving, Wheel, Filming, Posting, Social, Media.
Publication Number
PUB 1419
FOI Reference Number
16754
Request Title
Motoring Incidents Involving Video or Photo Footage and Mobile Phones 2020 and 2021
Date Range
01 January 2020 to 31 December 2021
Information Requested
1. In the year 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020 as well as the year 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021, how many video or photo submissions of motoring incidents were made to the force by members of the public?
2. In the same two-year period, how many prosecutions were made by your force for drivers using their mobile phone whilst driving/behind the wheel?
3. In the same two-year period, how many prosecutions or fines have been made for driving offences resulting from motorists filming their own driving and posting the footage to social media?
Disclosure with Exemptions
Full Disclosure
Information Correct as at
14 February 2022
Date of Disclosure
11 March 2022
Related Documents/Links
N/A
FOI 16754 Response
Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request, Essex Police can confirm in respect of Section 1(1)(b) the following data:
Caveats:
The data is correct as at 14 February 2022.
Video or photographic submissions to Essex Police are not currently possible via Single Online Home (SOH). We have, therefore, provided information that refers to Extra Eyes submissions only. Video and photographs are all submitted via the same online portal, therefore, we are unable to differentiate between individual media files.
Prosecutions = Positive Outcomes/Outcomes.
1. In the year 01 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 as well as the year 01 January 2021 to 31 December 2021, how many video or photo submissions of motoring incidents were made to the force by members of the public?
2020 – Total Extra Eyes Submissions: 1959.
2021 – Total Extra Eyes Submissions: 2460.
2. In the same two-year period, how many prosecutions were made by your force for drivers using their mobile phone whilst driving/behind the wheel?
2020 - Submissions via Video and Photograph – Total 81: 5 Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP), 2 Warning Letter , 74 No further Action (NFA).
2021 - Submissions via Video and Photograph – Total 97: 8 Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) , 22 Warning Letter, 67 No further Action (NFA).
3. In the same two-year period, how many prosecutions or fines have been made for driving offences resulting from motorists filming their own driving and posting the footage to social media?
We have not prosecuted anyone who has posted video of themselves driving on social media. This is due to being unable to identify the driver, the car, or the time date and location. These are all required to support a successful prosecution.
Every effort is made to ensure that the data provided by Essex Police is accurate and complete. However, Essex Police systems are designed primarily for the management of individual cases and not for the purposes of providing data to answer specific FOI enquiries. Please note although data can be extracted from a number of sources via database queries, the results may be subject to inaccuracies. Care should be taken to understand our return when considering the interpretation or further use of the data.
You can find more information on the Extra Eyes Campaign via the below links.
Extra Eyes submissions on the rise
Essex Police work with Essex Highways closely through the Safer Essex Road Partnership (SERP). SERP comprises Essex Police, Essex County Council, Southend-On-Sea Borough Council, Thurrock Council, Essex Fire and Rescue Services, Highways England and Essex and Hearts Air Ambulance Trust. The below link may be of interest to you:
Safer Essex Road Partnership (SERP)
You may wish to directly approach the HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) who hold fine income and prosecution/conviction data – please see below link:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS)
Section 16(1) of the FOIA provides that a public authority is required to provide advice and assistance, Essex Police can confirm that Using a Mobile Phone Whilst Driving Offences and Positive Outcomes/Outcomes could be provided from Single Online Home (SOH) submissions if required, however, these will not include Video or Photographic submissions made to Essex Police as it is not currently possible to upload media via SOH.
In addition, the Use of Hand Held Mobile Phone While Driving offences detected by Essex Police with Positive Outcomes/Outcomes could also be provided if required.
The intention of Section 16 is to provide assistance in resubmitting a valid request. Please note that any advice and assistance under Section 16 regarding resubmission of a request does not indicate that resubmission will provide a full disclosure, each submission will be assessed and if a disclosure is deemed harmful, then the appropriate exemptions will apply.
If you do require further information a new request will need to be submitted and the request will be dealt with accordingly.