Road accidents in North Yorkshire have been significantly reduced since the launch of a road safety campaign by the North Yorkshire Police.

Operation Anvil has seen 25,000 vehicles stopped by Police in North Yorkshire with drink driving, no insurance, speeding and not wearing seat belts among the offences drivers have been penalised for.

Since the campaigns launch in March this year there has been a 29% reduction in serious injuries as a result on road accidents, and a 14% reduction in fatalities.

The Department for transport (DfT) reports that there were over 247,000 casualties as a result of road accidents in Britain last year, with a major contributing factor being road users failing to look correctly.

Vehicles stopped in the campaign have been checked for road worthiness with the head of strategic road policing saying that it is essential that motorists drive carefully, and maintain their vehicle to an adequate standard for driving in winter weather.