Speeding Kills: Dorset Police Urge Drivers to Think Twice Before Breaking the Limit
Last year alone, 267 people were killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads. These are not just numbers—they represent lives tragically cut short, families devastated, and communities torn apart. Behind each figure lies a heartbreaking story that might have been avoided if someone had simply eased off the accelerator.
Speeding is not a harmless habit or a way to shave a few minutes off a journey. It is a dangerous and, too often, deadly decision. That is the powerful message being delivered by Dorset Police and the 1,300 dedicated Community Speed Watch (CSW) volunteers who are working tirelessly to make our roads safer.
During a focused week of action from Sunday 6 April to Friday 11 April 2025, CSW teams monitored the speeds of a staggering 31,677 vehicles across the county. The results were sobering: nearly 700 advisory letters were issued, and one reckless driver was clocked at 64mph in a 30mph zone on Lilliput Road, Poole—more than double the legal limit.
Such excessive speeding is not just reckless; it’s potentially lethal.
Superintendent Rob Chalkley of Dorset Police stated, “While we know that speeding does not always cause a road traffic collision, the consequences of any collision are likely to be more significant if the speeds involved are higher. One road traffic collision is too many – a speeding driver could ultimately cause tragic consequences and take the life of a friend or family member.”
Community Speed Watch is a national initiative that empowers local residents to be part of the solution. Armed with basic speed detection devices, CSW volunteers act as a visible deterrent to speeding. They record details of vehicles travelling over the speed limit and, while they are not enforcement officers, their efforts result in formal warnings issued by police.
CSW Coordinator Maria Attwood commented, “The CSW volunteers are at the heart of local areas – they want to help their communities, and it’s why they do what they do. If our volunteers can help prevent just one road traffic collision, then that is one less person potentially injured on the roads of Dorset.”
This grassroots effort is already having an impact. The number of people killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads is gradually declining, thanks in large part to the vigilance of CSW teams and increased road safety awareness.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick added, “Thanks to the vital part CSW teams play as part of the wider roads policing operation, the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads is falling each year. The results from last week’s operations should send a strong message to anyone thinking of speeding or behaving recklessly on our roads that it will not be tolerated.”
Speed limits exist for a reason. They are not suggestions—they are life-saving measures. Every time a driver chooses to exceed the limit, they are gambling with their life and the lives of others.
Let the tragic figure of 267 deaths and serious injuries in Dorset last year serve as a grim reminder: speeding is not worth the risk. Slow down. Drive within the law. Because one moment of haste can result in a lifetime of regret.
