New AI cameras catch British drivers using mobile phones at the wheel as 300 motorists are caught out in just three days
- The cameras use AI tech to identify motorists committing driving offences
- The three-day trial of the surveillance cameras recorded almost 300 offences
New AI powered cameras have caught almost 300 people committing driving offences just three days after being deployed on one of Devon’s busiest roads.
The camera snapped 117 people using their mobile phones while driving and 130 in cars without seatbelts after being installed on the A30 near Launceston in Devon.
The state-of-the-art surveillance camera uses AI technology to identify people committing driving offences with a view to securing prosecutions.
The free-standing camera takes high-quality photos that are then reviewed by AI software which determines whether an offence has been committed.
Any evidence is then sent to police, where the photos are reviewed by a person to confirm whether an offence has occurred.
New AI powered cameras have caught 117 people using their mobile phones in just three days
The free-standing cameras use AI technology to identify people committing driving offences
If an offence has been committed, drivers will then either be sent a warning letter or a notice of intended prosecution, according to the BBC.
READ MORE: Smile, you’re on camera! Police AI spy van catches nearly 500 offences including motorists on their mobile phones, not wearing seatbelts and even drug-driving in just one week
The newly installed cameras successfully identified almost 300 people committing driving offences over a 72-hour period.
The camera was put up by Australian tech company Acusensus in partnership with road safety charity Vision Zero South West and Devon and Cornwall Police.
They use high shutter speeds, infra-red flashes, and a lensing and filtering system to take high-quality pictures of drivers.
The trial of the camera in Devon comes after AI powered cameras were deployed on roads across Devon and Cornwall as part of a 15-day trial in September 2022.
The 15-day trial in September 2022 caught 590 people driving without seatbelts and a further 40 people using their phones at the wheel.
The road safety trial comes after there were 48 road deaths and 738 serious injuries in Cornwall and Devon in 2022.
Similar vehicle mounted cameras have previously been used by police to identify motorists committing a variety of driving offences in countries across Britain.
Van mounted cameras sent out by Hampshire and Thames Valley Police recorded almost 500 driving offences in just a week after being deployed earlier this year.
The operation saw police make five arrests for offences including drug driving and driving while disqualified.
Acusensus AI powered cameras were also previously used in the Australian state of New South Wales, where they are estimated to have cut road fatalities by a fifth.
The surveillance cameras caught 130 people driving without seatbelts in a 72-hour period
The trial on the A30 follows a 15-day trial of the cameras on roads across Devon and Cornwall
The cameras have previously been installed on top of vans and put inside speed cameras
Adrian Leisk, head of road safety for Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘When we trialled this technology last year, we were disappointed by the number of drivers detected not wearing seatbelts.
‘The early results from our latest deployment show that there is also a problem with mobile phone use behind the wheel, which is both dangerous and illegal.
‘We are employing this new technology to send a clear message to anyone who continues to use their phone behind the wheel – you will get caught.’
‘While we know the majority of drivers in Devon and Cornwall are safe, respectful and conscientious motorists, sadly there is a minority who are still putting people’s lives at risk.’
THE LAW ON EATING, DRINKING, SMOKING, SEATBELTS, AND USING PHONES
Mobile Phones
It is illegal to text or make a phone call (other than in an emergency) using a hand-held device while driving.
As of 2022, new laws were introduced to ban drivers from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.
This means anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving will face a £200 fixed penalty notice and 6 points on their licence.
Drivers are still able to use a device ‘hands-free’ while driving, such as a sat-nav, if it’s secured in a cradle.
They must, however, always take responsibility for their driving and can be charged with an offence if the police find them not to be in proper control of their vehicle.
Laws had previously banned motorists from using their phones for communication purposes, but rules have since been updated to ban the holding of phones for any reason.
It is only legal to use a mobile phone if you are safely parked – which does not include waiting in traffic or while stationary at traffic lights.
In emergencies, you are allowed to make 999 or 112 calls while driving, but only if it is not otherwise safe to stop.
The penalty for being caught using a mobile phone is a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200, and six penalty points on your licence.
Eating, drinking and smoking
It is not illegal to eat while driving, but if a driver becomes distracted and is not in proper control of the vehicle then police could prosecute for careless driving – meaning an on-the-spot fine of £100 and three penalty points.
Like eating, it is not illegal to drink while behind the wheel, but it could carry the same careless driving penalty if motorists become distracted.
Smoking is also not illegal, but again, if it causes distraction behind the wheel, it could mean a charge of careless driving.
However, travelling with passengers aged under 18 and smoking in the car is illegal, following changes to the law made in 2015.
Seatbelts
Drivers must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in the seat they are using.
A few exceptions apply, including drivers who are reversing, driving a goods vehicle on deliveries travelling no more than 50 metres per stops, or a licensed taxi ‘plying for hire’ or carrying passengers.
A doctor may say a driver does not have to wear a seat belt for a medical reason, handing out a ‘Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing’
Motorists are only allowed one person in each seat fitted with a seat belt, and can be fined up to £500 if they do not wear a seat belt when supposed to
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