DRIVERS are being urged to keep speeds down during a week-long speed enforcement campaign supported by West Mercia Police.

The force is supporting the campaign to encourage motorists to think about their speed and travel within the limit.

The campaign, which runs from August 6 to 12, is run by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, and is being driven across Europe.

It is estimated that across Europe speeding contributes to as many as one third of all collisions that result in fatality and is the most important contributory factor to road deaths.

Over the past three years in West Mercia, 96 people have been killed and 768 seriously injured in collisions where speeding or inappropriate speed has been recorded as a contributory factor.

Roads Policing Inspector Adrian Davis for West Mercia Police said: ''Supporting this Europe-wide campaign with local activities is an important way of raising the issue and highlighting the dangers of speeding.

"There are many local residents across our region whose quality of life is affecting by people speeding through their community and families across the county that unfortunately know far too well the devastating consequences that speeding and collisions can lead to.

"We'd like to take the opportunity during this campaign week to remind people of the consequences of speeding.

"Apart from the obvious consequences if you are involved in a collision, if prosecuted for speeding, the minimum penalty is a £100 fine and three penalty points. You could be disqualified from driving if you build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years.''

Throughout the week-long campaign local policing teams, special constables and community speed watch volunteers will be out and about in local communities taking part in a mixture of enforcement and educational initiatives.

Road users across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Warwickshire can report incidents using footage from dashcams or other devices as part of Operation Snap.

Submissions will be sent to West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police via nextbase.com, where the evidence will be reviewed by one of road traffic officers, who will enforce against any offences committed.