A police crackdown on drivers resulted in 10 unsafe vehicles being taken off the road in Dundee.
Officers carried out roadside checks on a busy main route into the city to stop unroadworthy vehicles as part of Operation Bandit. Out of 100 vehicles pulled over on Riverside Drive, eight had dangerous defects and two were not insured.
The exercise led to three people being reported to the procurator fiscal. Another vehicle was found to be over the legal weight limit.
Leading the operation, PC Nicki Adamson said as 10% of those stopped were caught breaking the law the day of action was very worthwhile.
She said: “It was a very successful operation.
“We were looking for vehicles that were not roadworthy and we stopped everything from cars and taxis to light and heavy goods vehicles. The fact we caught two people without insurance alone makes the exercise worthwhile.
“A number of unsafe vehicles have also been prohibited until the defects have been fixed.”
Using automatic number plate recognition, people driving without insurance and MOTs were easily spotted and officers also chose to pull over vehicles for safety and fuel checks.
Goods vehicles were stopped to check for tachograph offences and taxis were also checked to ensure they were licensed.
PC Adamson said: “Criminals use the roads so we need to make sure we stop those vehicles.
“It also acts as a deterrent as it makes us visible to the public and makes them aware we will take action.”
The multi-agency operation involved HM Revenue and Customs, and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (Vosa), which specialises in safety examinations.
HMRC was testing for rebated fuel, such as red diesel, which is used for off-road machinery and heating and has a lower tax rate.
Officers were able to quickly determine if illegal fuel was present using a chemical but on this occasion none was found.
PC Adamson said she was pleased the vast majority of drivers passed and most of those pulled over were happy to take part.
She said: “People are aware their insurance premiums are going up due to people with no insurance so most were quite happy to see us checking.
“We carry out these checks on a regular basis so people need to make sure their documents are up to date and their vehicles are roadworthy.
“Carrying out these routine stops ensures maximum road safety for other road users,” she said.
She added that in cold weather people need to be especially aware of the condition of their brakes and tyres to ensure their vehicles remain safe and they are not caught out by future checks.