MOTORISTS can now help Gwent police to keep roads safe by putting digital footage from dash cams and other devices to good use.

From today - as part of Operation Snap - members of the public across Gwent and Wales can submit footage and images showing traffic offences being committed. The footage could show dangerous driving, using a mobile phone while driving or ignoring traffic lights.

Initially piloted by the GoSafe unit in North Wales Police and the Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, the operation has now been introduced Wales-wide following further developments by South Wales Police and GoSafe.

It will give members of the public the power to assist forces in taking action against those who put other road users at risk.

The joint initiative between the four Welsh police forces, GoSafe and the Crown Prosecution Service, has attracted support from Cycling UK and The British Horse Society as well as families who have lost loved ones as the result of a road traffic offence.

Among them is Alison Jones, whose 77-year-old uncle David Howells was killed as he crossed a road on Black Friday in 2016.

The driver of the vehicle was later convicted of driving without due care and attention.

Mrs Jones said: “The impact of David’s death has been devastating and I want people to be aware of how their actions behind the wheel can ruin families’ lives.

"How just rushing to work or getting in the car and using your mobile phone can have such a huge and lasting impact.

“For us, the fact that someone decided to take their eyes off the road, for whatever reason, took away someone we loved dearly. It was so needless and we have to live with that forever.

“Operation Snap is a wonderful campaign that will force road users to be aware, by the use of dash cam footage, of the way they are actually driving.”

Inspector Lee Ford , of Gwent police, said the new initiative has already shown examples of "some very bad driving."

He said: "Operation SNAP is a relatively new initiative allowing members of the public submit to submit footage of motoring offences to police.

"The footage already received has shown examples of very some bad driving.

"The aim is to influence road users behaviour and thereby make the roads safer for all."

Teresa Healy, partnership manager at GoSafe, added: "Operation Snap is the culmination of partners working together to respond to community needs;

To submit footage visit gosafesnap.wales