Case Study
Operation Moto
2021 UPDATE
Op Moto is another West Midlands Police Road Harm Prevention Team innovation that uses some of the same principles as Top Deck ( page 120 ) and Op Snap ( page 130 ). Analysis of the data from the West Midlands region has shown that the most dangerous places for motorcyclists are junctions , and that the majority of the collisions at such locations are down to a driver pulling out in front of or across the path of an oncoming motorcyclist .
The WMRHPT drew on the work of Dr Graham Hole ( author of the Psychology of driving 1 and a member of the RPAN network ( see p150 ) which shows that whatever a motorcyclist does to make themselves more conspicuous it makes little difference to drivers who are currently simply “ mentally wired ” not to look for those on two wheels at vulnerable locations .
Op Moto is designed to encourage drivers to always look out for motorcyclists – by using a plain clothed police motorcyclist on an unmarked bike . The officer rides around the most vulnerable locations for motorcyclists , and when they are endangered by a driver or they witness a driver committing an offence which could potentially endanger a motorcyclist ( such as a visual impairment or driver distraction ) they call in a marked motorcyclist who intercepts and deals with the offence .
As in the case of Op Top Deck ( page 120 ) a combination of education and prosecution is then used to change the behaviour of those stopped for offences . Those observed committing less serious offences are educated by West Midlands Fire Service using a specially designed package which includes a section on how to look “ properly ” at vulnerable locations . Obvious impairment to a drivers view such as windscreen obstructions , illegal tints to a drivers windows etc . are prosecuted , as are mobile phone / distraction offences . The more serious S3 RTA 1988 Due Care type offences such as endangering overtakes , exceeding the speed limit , pulling out on our motorcyclists or tailgating end in prosecution .
West Midlands Police also actively encourages motorcyclists who ride with cameras to send in their footage via the WMP digital reporting portal , making any motorcycle a ‘ capable guardian ’ on the road .
For more information contact Sgt Jon Butler : jonathan . butler @ west-midlands . pnn . police . uk
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1
Hole , G ( 2014 ) The Psychology of Driving Psychology Press