POLICE are urging motorists not to commit offences which lead to them telling families their loved ones are not coming home.

Officers have caught out 37 offending motorists on the M6, thanks to an undercover police lorry, during a week-long crackdown on driving crime.

Cheshire Police officers driving an unmarked HGV cab with an on-board camera had an elevated position to spot people driving dangerously, regardless of what vehicle they are in.

The consequences for drivers committing motoring offences range from warnings to fixed penalty notices, court summons or arrest.   

In the first four days of last week’s activities, the vantage point of the ‘supercab’ led to 37 tickets being issued.

These were for offences including driving without wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone, not being in proper control, having an insecure load, no visible reg plates and using the hard shoulder.

Officers from the force’s roads and crime unit continually patrol in marked and unmarked cars and motorbikes, pursuing those committing ‘fatal five’ offences.

These, namely careless driving, using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding and drink and drug driving, are the main contributory factors that cause serious road traffic collisions.

Cheshire Police says it is determined to reduce the amount of serious and fatal collisions by tackling those committing fatal five offences and posing a danger to themselves and others.

Officers are also targeting motorists connected to criminality, such as county lines drug dealing, organised crime and vehicles that are flagged by automatic number plate recognition.

Sergeant Rob Anderson, the force’s operations room manager, said: “The unmarked HGV enables us to see right inside other large vehicle cabs.

“We are able to capture on camera offences being committed, so it is very effective at tackling this dangerous behaviour.

“We are still seeing far too many drivers not wearing their seatbelt and using their mobile phone at the wheel.

“We continually hear the excuse that motorists are using their mobile phone as a sat nav, but that does not make it safe, and it does not make it legal – in fact, it can be lethal.”

As the M6 is one of the busiest motorways in the country, with the Cheshire section being particularly busy, the force is urging motorists to pay attention and drive appropriately.

“A split-second wrong decision can tragically change the outcome of their journey,” sergeant Anderson added.

“Our officers see the consequences at first hand when they attend the scenes of collisions and then they have to tell their families and loved ones that they are not coming home.

“Thankfully many road users drive sensibly, but we are determined to come down hard on the reckless minority who put all of us at risk.“