POLICE are swooping on motorists in a new road safety blitz to cut the number of crashes on Dorset’s roads.

They will check cars as part of a regional operation to promote road safety and to tackle motorists who flout the law.

Officers in marked and unmarked cars will go on patrol and stop drivers and motorcyclists as part of Operation Vortex over the next three months.

Chief Inspector Bob Nichols, of the Dorset Police Traffic Unit, said: “As part of our ongoing commitment to making the roads safer we are going to be targeting those motorists who drive carelessly and are a danger on our roads.

“This includes, but is not limited to, targeting drivers who use a mobile phone while driving, drive at inappropriate speeds, are not in proper control of their vehicle or other dangerous and intimidating behaviour like driving too closely to the vehicle in front – all types of driving which can lead to devastating consequences.

“Nearly all road traffic collisions are caused by driver error and we want to get the message home to motorists that when they are behind the wheel, 100 per cent concentration must be given to their driving.

“We are working extremely hard, along with our colleagues in the south west region and partners at Dorset Road Safe, to reduce the number of injury collisions in Dorset but we need the support and co-operation of all motorists to help to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.”

The operation is an effort by police forces in the south west to improve motorists’ behaviour and reduce injury road traffic collisions.

Those caught committing offences face warnings, fixed penalty tickets or court appearances.