SPEEDING drivers have been given fixed penalty notices as part of a police operation, in a bid to cut the number of road deaths.

SPEEDING drivers have been given fixed penalty notices as part of a police operation, in a bid to cut the number of road deaths.Sidmouth officers were on the roads on Wednesday, carrying out speed checks. They issued three fixed penalty notices and warned about 40 drivers to slow down.All the drivers given tickets will have three points added to their licences and a £60 fine. The worst speeding driver was caught going 46mph through Sidford High Street, 16mph over the limit.Sergeant Andy Turner said: "The whole purpose of this operation was to reduce the number of road deaths and incidents in and around the town. In the past 18 months, we have seen three of our residents killed. One of the road deaths was a personal blow as Jodie Gigg and her family are friends of mine." Throughout the month, police are cracking down on road safety issues as part of a county-wide operation. Officers from Exeter's traffic unit have been carrying out stop checks in the area to support Sidmouth Police.Sergeant Turner said PCSOs had been giving statements of motorists seen driving while on their mobile phones or without seatbelts and the neighbourhood beat managers will be deciding whether further action will be taken.