In July 2020, West Yorkshire Police launched ‘Operation SNAP’, an online portal where members of the public can submit media footage of dangerous road user behaviour: West Yorkshire Safer Roads - Op Snap | West Yorkshire Police. This can be from dashcam, helmet cam, or any other recording device. There is now a dedicated team that investigates submissions and progresses these if there is evidence for action.
The scheme is proving to be extremely popular with the public. Since its launch, there have been almost 2,000 submissions in West Yorkshire, of which Leeds currently makes up around 30%. 50% of these are from vehicle drivers, 27% from cyclists, with the remainder from other road users.
It is also delivering significant results, with 63% of submissions resulting in further action: 38% have led to a driver retraining course, 13% to points and/or a fine being issued, and 5% have been taken to court.
They believe that this system provides an excellent opportunity to both capture and address dangerous and illegal road user behaviour. It offers residents the opportunity to act when they see something happen that the police are not present for. It also provides an additional level of support for more vulnerable road users, and is a key element of Leeds ‘Vision Zero’ Road Safety strategy.