During week 14, the Police Driver Training Centre in Pieksämäki held a continuing education course on the demanding control of the way of driving (VATV) for police car drivers. The police officers who participated in the course applied the lessons learnt during a day of control, where several drivers were caught speeding way over the limit. Three motorists are suspected of causing a serious traffic hazard.
Under the guidance of instructors, the course participants supervised traffic in civilian cars and in plainclothes in the areas of the Eastern Finland and Central Finland police departments.
During the day when the control was carried out, the police caught drivers who, among other things, violated road-specific speed limits. The driving speed of three drivers was so high that their driving resulted in a police report for causing a serious traffic hazard, and they were banned from driving.
The highest average speed recorded was 160 km/h on a section of road where the maximum permitted speed is 80 km/h. Another driver drove at an average speed of 159 km/h likewise in an area with an 80 km/h speed limit. The driver also overtook slower drivers over the chevrons at a junction and evaded the traffic cameras via the lane for oncoming traffic. Besides which he had a radar detector, which was confiscated by the police. The third significant speed was 124 km/h when the limit was 60 km/h.
In addition, the police detected other violations, e.g. minor speeding and driving behaviour violations. One driver was temporarily banned from driving as a result of serious disregard. A motorcyclist who was doing a wheelie also had their driving licence taken away due to dangerous driving, and the unlawful vehicle was sent for vehicle inspection. One driver was driving without the required right to drive, and the car had not been inspected.
Police officers from across Finland took part in the course. On the way to the course centre for training before the course began, the police officers also revealed one breach of a detection device, causing a serious traffic hazard and serious disregard.
