Last week’s nationwide special traffic control operation once again revealed multiple cases of people not wearing seatbelts and motorists using their mobile phones without hands-free devices.
Eighteen motorists were observed passing cars that had stopped at a pedestrian crossing without stopping themselves, and sixteen failed to give way to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings.
Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio from the National Police Board emphasises the importance of wearing a seatbelt.
“Seatbelts save lives in road traffic accidents. A seatbelt must be worn even on short trips and also in the back seat, including in built-up areas.”
Focus solely on driving
He also wants motorists to remember that they should focus solely on driving and observing other traffic instead of playing with a mobile phone, for example, especially as we move into autumn and driving conditions become more tricky.
The police devoted almost 1,800 working hours to the intensive surveillance campaign. A total of 944 drivers or passengers were found not wearing seatbelts. Motorists who were using a mobile phone while driving numbered 574. A total of 17 drivers were observed running a red light and 23 ignoring a STOP sign.
Supervision of aliens performed alongside other controls
The police also stopped 27 individuals for immigration control purposes. The checks revealed one violation of the Aliens Act and resulted in one individual being refused entry into the country.
The supervision of aliens is traditionally integrated into the police’s other control operations, such as traffic control in this case.
“Officers check that any foreign nationals encountered in the course of controls satisfy the criteria for remaining in Finland. Steps are taken to deal with any individuals found to be residing in the country illegally,” says Chief Superintendent Ari Jokinen from the National Police Board.
