ALMOST 350 people have been caught speeding in the first week of a police operation cracking down on motorists flouting traffic laws. 

Operation Vortex, which began on May 8, is targeting dangerous driving to reduce the number of crashes and injuries on roads in Devon and Cornwall. 

So far, cops have clocked 347 speeding offences, eight mobile phone offences, one driver not wearing a seatbelt, seven drivers under the influence of drink or drugs and five motorists driving without due care. 

In addition, as many as 103 cars have been stopped, 10 cars seized, and 10 people have been arrested. 

“The ‘Fatal Five’ causes of deaths and serious injuries on our roads are careless driving, drink and drug driving, failing to wear seatbelts, distracted driving (such as using a mobile phone or tablet at the wheel), and speeding,” Motor Patrol Constable Richie Roome said. 

“[These] play a big part in the collisions we see across our force area.  

“Our aim is to keep everyone safe on our roads by targeting motorists whose poor driving puts others at risk. 

“There have been a significant number of very serious collisions on Devon and Cornwall’s roads recently and, sadly, many of these have resulted in a tragic loss of life. 

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind drivers to take more care on the roads; to look out for other road users, and to consider how losing their driving licence would affect them, their employment, their family and their livelihood. 

“Law-abiding road users have nothing to fear from this operation.  

“Our sole focus is to deal with drivers who are putting other road users at risk and to deal with them appropriately.”  

Drivers caught committing offences could receive a fine and points on their licence, have to appear in court or even face imprisonment for more serious crimes. 

Officers will keep patrolling and watching driver behaviour in unmarked vehicles across Devon and Cornwall for the rest of May. 

Separately, police have urged drivers to take extra care on the roads after as many as 17 serious crashes across the two counties in just over one month.