New research suggests motorists want to be more proactive in reporting reckless driving on Britain’s roads.

The study from PoliceWitness.com reveals that nearly four out of five motorists (79%) have wished the police were around to witness the reckless driving of others, while nearly two thirds (65%) wished they had an in-car video camera to record another motorist’s driving which could then be passed on to the police.

It also suggests that three-quarters (75%) of motorists believe that assisting the police by videoing and reporting drivers who flout the law, through schemes like PoliceWitness.com, is not an infringement of human rights.

It provides ‘dash-cams’ that enable motorists to record incidents on the road and involving their vehicle, with footage uploaded to the PoliceWitness website who then forward it on to the relevant police authority depending on the incident.

Matt Stockdale, CEO of PoliceWitness.com, said: “In these austere times and with services such as the police stretched to their limits, it makes sense for the public to do their bit in helping tackle crime.

“Motoring related crime, in particular, is something that concerns most of us. As our study shows, 79% of motorists have witnessed reckless driving and have been powerless to do anything about it.

“This shouldn’t be the case, however, and that is why the use of technology by concerned motorists, such as in car video cameras, can actually make a difference.

“And with more awareness, this might make people think twice about driving recklessly, which will make our roads safer.”

Stockdale says that in the last ten months using in-car recording equipment via his service has resulted in hundreds of drivers being reported by members of the public.

As a result, many have been fined, had their licence endorsed endorsements, attended a compulsory re-training course or have been banned.