POLICE will clamp down on speeding drivers today as they revealed the number of motorists driving dangerously in Strathclyde is increasing.

As part of a country-wide day of action, local officers will also swoop on people who drive cars with worn tyres, mechanical defects and without the proper licence or insurance.

Those who refuse to wear seat belts and use mobile phones while behind the wheel will also be targeted in a bid to cut the number of deaths on the roads.

Strathclyde Police caught 36,000 drivers speeding in 2011/12, and they say they have stopped 34,400 since April last year.

Last year 3300 people were charged with driving carelessly and more than 1000 with dangerous driving in Strathclyde.

So far this year, 2012/13, these figures have been exceeded, say police.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "To date figures indicate we have already exceeded the figures for the number of detections were drivers have driven dangerously or carelessly."

Local officers are today joining forces with others from across Scotland to catch these "inappropriate drivers" in a campaign organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Marked and unmarked cars will patrol the streets to catch drivers who flout the law and officers say they will be reinforcing the message that driving too fast or in an inappropriate manner puts lives at risk.

Chief Inspector Sharon Shaw, of Strathclyde Police Road Policing Department, said: "Most drivers are law-abiding road users however, there is a section of the driving public who continue to drive inappropriately and with a disregard for the safety of other road users.

"I would encourage those drivers to be mindful of their speed and manner of driving and drive appropriately to road and environmental conditions.

"Officers will be out patrolling our roads and will be enforcing legislation, including use of mobile phones while driving, failing to wear a seat belt, in addition to speeding and inappropriate driving legislation."

Speaking on behalf of ACPOS, Superintendent Denise Mulvaney, said: "The speed limits are there for a reason – to keep you and others safe and all officers will be vigilant to ensure they are obeyed."