POLICE have caught more than 12,000 people breaking the speed limit on Hampshire's roads.

Figures released as part of a major crackdown on road deaths show 230 motorists were caught in a week - that's 33 a day.

And bosses of a leading motoring charity say this is only the tip of the iceberg as they warn “selfish” drivers are putting thousands of pedestrians, cyclists and children's' lives at risk.

Road safety charity Brake released the figures as part of its Look Out for Each other campaign.

The initiative, launched yesterday to mark Road Safety Week, highlights the shocking statistics that there are five deaths and 61 injuries daily on Britain's roads.

Figures reveal that police issued fixed penalty notices to 12,011 drivers caught breaking the speed limit in Hampshire last year.

The data covers those stopped by officers using speed guns and does not include the many more photographed on fixed cameras or summoned to court for high speed offences.

It comes just after police also revealed they caught almost 700 speeding motorists in the New Forest.

Those living in the SO16 postcode (Bassett, Rownhams, Chilworth, Redbridge) were the biggest offenders with 832 people caught followed by SO19 (Sholing, Woolston, Weston and Thorhill) with 709 people stopped.

This compares to just 94 in the Brockenhurst (SO42) and 104 in North Baddesley (SO42).

Meanwhile 144 people across the county received fixed penalty notices for careless driving.

The new category of offence, launched in August, includes penalties for tailgating and middle-lane hogging.

Figures for the wider South West area show 75,421 people were penalised for speeding or for careless driving last year - one every seven minutes.

Over the same period 190 people were killed and 1,795 seriously injured on the roads.

Sergeant Rob Heard, Hampshire Constabulary's Road Safety Officer, said: “This campaign will raise awareness to people about the dangers of distractions out there on our roads and we need to make sure that people look out for each other and take extra care.”

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive for Brake, said: “When drivers use roads without care for others the consequences can be tragic and horrific.

“People are killed and badly injured and their lives ruined forever because of a moment of impatience or selfishness.

“The wider consequences are that if we don't look out for each other on the roads people will be afraid for them or their kids to walk and cycle and will be unable to get out and enjoy their community and live active lifestyles.”

“That's why, instead of making our streets stressful, risky places, we're asking all road users to look out for and protect each other, particularly the most vulnerable.”