A POLICE crackdown on law-breaking motorists across Teignbridge and the rest of the south west saw 400 drivers stopped over a two-week period.

Six unmarked traffic cars were deployed across the region, including Dorset, to target traffic crime as part of Operation Vortex.

The initiative targeted poor, inconsiderate and complacent driving and aimed to cut collisions and casualties.

Nearly 90 drivers were caught using mobile phones at the wheel while 31 were using vehicles without insurance.

Some 167 drivers were issued with tickets about their speed with 36 others reported directly to court for breaking the limit.

Among them were:

l A Transit-style van travelling at 105mph in a 60mph area;

l An Audi clocked at 115mph on the A30 where the offender explained to officers that he was ‘bedding-in’ his new tyres;

l A motorcycle whizzing at 145mph on the A38 near Plympton.

Alarmingly, three drivers were reported directly to court for travelling between 75mph and 78mph in a section of roadworks on the A30 near Okehampton where the limit had been set at 40mph to ensure the safety of the staff working within the site.

Six drivers were issued with tickets for not having full control of a motor vehicle.

Sixteen vehicles were seized for no insurance, one of which included a £140,000 Bentley Continental from the Redruth area.

Three drivers were arrested after officers made use of the new drug-wipe kits. One suspect was found to be 40 times over the current limit for cannabis.

Another driver was arrested at 10.30 in the morning after being caught using his mobile phone while driving. He was found to be over the drink-drive limit.

Thirty-two people were dealt with for not wearing a seat belt.

Two motorists were reported for dangerous driving and seven for driving without care.

The speed-monitoring safety camera partnership, also involved in the campaign, clocked 769 drivers for exceeding limits over the fortnight.

A number of drivers were reported for contravening double white lines, no MOT, no vehicle excise duty, using a vehicle in a dangerous condition, contravening a red light and having defective tyres.

There were also a number of arrests related to a stolen vehicle from the Torquay area where officers stopped the vehicle and, after a brief chase on foot into the resort, detained the occupants and returned the undamaged vehicle to its owner.

Insp Pete Thomas from the roads policing team said: ‘We are out every day, attending collisions and enforcing the law. Unfortunately we can’t be everywhere. I’m pleased with the number of motorists who have been stopped for offences – and hope they will now modify their behaviour and realise the dangers they put themselves and others in.’

He added: ‘But I’m also disappointed.  There are still far too many motorists prepared to break the law – and the consequences are quite likely to be that more people will be killed or seriously injured on our roads.’