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West Midlands Police to use 'dashcam' footage

Region's force will allow people to submit video of poor driving to be considered for prosecution case

Drivers in the West Midlands will soon be allowed to submit footage from dashcams to police

Midland drivers will soon be able to submit ‘dashcam' footage of dangerous driving directly to police.

It would mean motorists could be prosecuted on the basis of video evidence sent in by fellow road users.

has been drawing up the plan to deal with the huge proliferation of digital video equipment being fitted to cars.

Cyclists have also been active in their use of helmet cameras, often compiling footage and publishing it online.

The initiative is part of the force's reorganisation, some of which looks at using technology to improve efficiency.

Although full details of how the scheme would work have yet to be released, it is likely an online form would be filled out by the complainant, along with the facility to upload the footage to police servers.

A spokesman for the West Midlands Police road traffic unit said the initiative was a result of the huge increase in numbers of cameras now being used and there were several reasons for the rise: "Some will say it is for their own protection, it's a safeguard, others will be accused of being ‘wannabe traffic cops' and, lastly, some have to, they have no choice, fleet and company policies will dictate the use of a camera.

"West Midlands Police is going to introduce a new way of ‘self-reporting' due care and attention-type road traffic offences."