The police arrested six young men for driving pigs – families upset – NRK Vestland

– It is madness. I don’t understand why they do it.

Daniel Viken Sandnes, father of six, lives in Erdal along highway 5 between Førde and Florø in Vestland.

Even though there is 70 km/h there, many people gas up and test the speed past the village, he says.

Especially in spring and summer there is a lot of speed.

The speed limit on the 6.5 kilometer stretch to Naustdal varies between 70 and 80 km/h.

At the weekend, a man in his 20s was measured at 162 km/h in the 80 zone.

The father of the family thinks it’s extra scary as there are many families with small children in the village, several road junctions, unclear turns, and a lot of deer in the terrain.

He believes it is appropriate for the police to step up controls in the area.

Young men

In total, the Utrykkingspolitiet (UP) stopped six drivers within a few hours on Friday and Saturday. Everyone lost their driver’s license.

Five of them were young men in their 20s. One was in his late teens. All have been reported to the police.

One of the drivers drove a motorbike and was measured at 147 km/h. Two others drove at 137 km/h, 121 km/h and one at 120 km/h. Several of them were speeding so high that they have to go to court.

– Fortunately, it is rare that we see such a high speed that it doubles the speed limit, says Eivind Hellesund, assistant district manager in UP West.

According to Hellesund, it is typical for young men to be too hard on the gas. The fact that it is now in the spring that the speed shoots in the weather is also common.

Statistics from the police show that drivers in the 18-20 age group have the most serious speeding violations. And it is usually men who fail to follow the speed limit.

Chief of Police in Sunnfjord, Wenke Hope, looks at the rough driving with concern and says that the drivers put both themselves and others in danger. Six seizures in a total of four inspection hours is not commonplace.

– It is worrying that so many, and so young, are drawn in such a short time, says Hope. She adds that it is probably not about racing.

The police promise that they will continue with checks on the stretch.

Negative development

Figures from UP show that the development of speeding is going in the wrong direction.

In 2023, 11,439 drivers were reported for speeding. Ten years ago, the number was 7,945.

Seen in isolation for the year this year, there is still a decrease of 2,289 raw drivers in the first quarter. Nearly 500 fewer than the same period last year.

In 2023, a total of 21,138 driving licenses were withdrawn and seized. This applies to both speeding, intoxication and other criminal offences, according to figures from the driving license register.

Riksveg 5 in Sunnfjord is known for its high speed, says the UP manager.

– We get feedback on this from drivers, the local population along the road, and other police officers, says Hellesund.

Driving license on trial

Arne Øvrebø lives along rv. 5 in Erdal. He also notices high speeds from time to time, but thinks the road standard with several sharp bends is the biggest problem.

Four of the drivers who were drawn there at the weekend had a probationary period on their driver’s licence. There is a period of two years after one has taken the driver’s licence. These years it is easier to lose your driver’s license.

Several of them also had passengers with them during the rough driving.

– That does not make the case any better. Our encouragement is that those who are driving must give clear notice that the speed must be reduced, says Hellesund.

None of the people involved were intoxicated, and none of the incidents resulted in an accident.

But the statistics are scintillatingly clear: in 29 percent of fatal accidents on Norwegian roads in 2022, high speed was a contributing factor.

Recently, there have been several serious accidents, also among motorbike drivers.

UP has therefore gone out and asked MC drivers to brush up on their knowledge.