Hundreds of thousands of motorists are taking matters into their own hands when witnessing dangerous driving conditions on UK roads, according to new data.
Fresh research shows that road users have captured more than 230,000 dangerous driving offences using dashcam recordings since 2022.
The data, which was obtained using a Freedom of Information request, shows that 232,709 videos of dangerous driving were submitted to police forces around the UK between January 2022 and May 2025.
It also shows that incidents are becoming more common, with reports in 2024 a staggering 55 per cent higher than in 2022.
Submissions are part of the nationwide Operation SNAP campaign, which allows motorists to share video footage of road
incidents.
The operation is designed to speed up the process for police as they can easily see video footage of accidents that may have occurred in their local areas.
Penalty Charge Notices have become more common as part of the process, with 18 per cent of reports resulting in drivers being slapped with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
The FOI data, which was obtained by Confused.com, shows that the total number of fines issued has jumped from 2,464 in 2022 to 11,629 last year.
A growing number of drivers are installing dashcams in their cars
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GETTY/PA
A further 29 per cent of submissions led to official warnings, while other drivers faced re-training courses (14 per cent) or court prosecutions (five per cent).
Avon and Somerset Constabulary received the most submissions from drivers, with 29,016 through the Operation SNAP portal.
This was followed by West Yorkshire (24,462), Greater Manchester (18,348), West Midlands (16,254), and West Mercia (13,714).
Rhydian Jones, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said more was being done to crack down on dangerous driving, including the rollout of AI cameras.
Experts have praised the road safety benefits of AI cameras
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VISION ZERO SOUTH WESTHe continued: “Dashcams are no longer just handy gadgets, they have become effective safety tools and crucial sources of evidence when incidents occur on the roads.
“However, it’s understandable that some people remain unsure about the privacy implications of the scheme.”
Labour is expected to launch new measures for motorists as part of the first road safety strategy in more than a decade.
This could include tougher drink-driving limits, harsher fines for motorists who fail to ensure their passengers have their seatbelts on, and even mandatory eye tests for motorists over the age of 70.
A survey found that just over one-third of motorists have a dashcam installed, with 43 per cent of these reporting that they use it to protect themselves in the event of an accident.
More than a quarter of drivers reported that they have provided video evidence from their dashcams to support an insurance claim.
Mr Jones praised the road safety aims of Operation SNAP to ensure motorists, although he suggested that some people may not know how to go about submitting evidence.
He added: “To help make it simpler, we’ve created a tool for sharing dashcam footage with Operation SNAP.
“It guides road users to their local police force, explains the reporting steps, and helps them declare their dashcam to insurers if they have one. Their footage can genuinely help keep everyone safer on the road.”