Police have clamped down on thousands of motorists who flout seatbelt, mobile phone, drink driving and speeding laws.

A month of action by West Yorkshire Police traffic cops resulted in hundreds of people being fined or summoned to court.

Traffic officers tested 1,340 motorists’ breath for alcohol, arresting 75 of those for drink driving.

In all 1,652 drivers were stopped and dealt with for offences and a total of 259 illegal vehicles were seized for transgressions including no MOT, no insurance and no driving licence.

Officers decided to target the so-called ‘fatal four’ throughout November and were pleased to see an 18% reduction in drink or drug driving offences on last year.

There was also a 14% drop in the number of fatal and serious road traffic collisions compared with November 2012.

The operation was run by Acting Police Sergeant, Andy Muskett and Pc Matt Hemingway from the Southern Area Roads Policing Unit.

Sgt Muskett said: “This operation was very much aimed at educating drivers which was the main reason we chose to publicise it in the media at the beginning and warn motorists we would be out targeting those breaking the law.

“We did see a drop in the number of people dealt with and believe this is a direct result of the high publicity throughout the month including our use of social media.

“Despite the fact a lot of motorists were more aware and drove accordingly, we still managed to stop over 1,600 drivers for a range of traffic offences and arrested a further 75 for drink driving as well as seizing 259 vehicles.

“This operation was about targeting the four main causes of death or serious injury in road traffic collisions – drink/drugs driving, speed, distraction and failing to wear seatbelt.

“If we have made just one driver improve their driving standard then we have succeeded.”

More than 30 years on from the famous ‘Clunk Click’ campaign, the most common offence across the county was still not wearing a seatbelt.

Police caught 671 people without their belts on with the Wakefield and Huddersfield region being the worst offender with almost 300 of those caught.

A total of 602 were caught speeding, 375 on mobile phones, and 35 ‘other’ offences.

Roads policing officers are out across the force area 24/7, 365 days a year and operations targeting those breaking the law are run regularly.