A MAN was arrested for drug-driving when police carried out a day of action targeting motoring offences in Kidderminster.
Officers from Wyre Forest Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) were joined by officers from West Mercia Police’s Motorcycle Traffic Support Team (MTST), Operational Policing Unit (OPU) and partner agencies for the operation at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) site on Worcester Road. Police were supported by partners at the DVSA and The Equipment Register (TER) on the day.
42 vehicles pulled over
Officers pulled over 42 vehicles which were checked over for their roadworthiness, insecure loads, weight limits, valid MOT and insurance certificates, stolen machinery and trailers, and illegal number plates. The cars, vans and lorries were checked, and relevant Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) were issued or action was taken.
Two trailers were banned from the roads for issues ranging from failure of braking system, chassis condition and non-functioning lights.
The 28-year-old man arrested for drug-driving who has been released under investigation.
Three vehicles not displaying trade plates, one vehicle was found to have expired tax, nine vehicles had illegal number plates and two vehicles were overweight – they were both banned from the road.
Five vehicles were found with tyre defects – they were all prohibited, two vehicles had an illegal window/windscreen tint – the drivers were forced to remove the tint.
Two vehicles had insecure loads – they were both prohibited – and one vehicle was found with no brake fluid and tyres down to ply-cord. That too was banned from the roads.
‘Operation was a massive success’
Senior PCSO Andy Stevens, who organised the operation, said: “This was another successful multi-agency operation targeting vehicles committing motoring offences travelling through the north of the county.
“We stopped vehicles that were of interest to us, making sure they were in a roadworthy condition for the safety of all road users.
“One man was arrested for drug-driving and multiple vehicles prohibited for being overloaded or unsafe.
“Drivers were also stopped for illegally displayed numberplates and tinted windows which, while some may consider to be minor offences, they are often a gateway to other ‘bigger’ offences which proved to be the case.
“Drivers with heavily tinted windows are effectively driving like they have sunglasses on at nighttime which is clearly a huge risk to them and other road users.
“Vehicles that are overweight or poorly loaded will have longer braking distances, poorer handling and weakened suspension which could have consequences for other road users if they had to stop suddenly so stopping them averts another potentially dangerous situation.”
