A MAP shows the locations where drivers can be caught out using their phone while they’re behind the wheel – with advanced AI cameras springing up across the country.
The new tech is capable of taking spy shots from the INSIDE passing cars and can even tell if anyone in the vehicle is not wearing their seatbelt.
The smart cameras, which are mounted on vehicles or roadside bollards, were recently trialled over a five-week period in Greater Manchester, where some 3,200 people were caught on their phones or without their seatbelts on.
Called “Heads Up” cameras and made by tech company Acusensus, nine other police forces across the UK are also trialling the innovative tech – as you can see from our map.
These include Durham, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley Police and Sussex.
A similar trial was also conducted in Cornwall last year, which saw 300 Brits caught within three days.
The software operates by capturing footage of passing vehicles, which is then analysed using AI to determine whether a driver is using their phone or not wearing a seatbelt.
Two precise photographs are taken; one at an angle that shows whether the driver has a phone to their ear and if their seatbelt is fastened, and another from a deeper angle that can capture if a driver is handling their device.
The footage is then reviewed by a human to confirm whether an offence has indeed been detected by the software.
Only after this human verification is a penalty charge notice issued to the driver.
According to Acusensus, any images that do not show an offence or are incorrect are deleted immediately.
The company also claims that its cameras can capture images both during the day and at night, and in almost any weather conditions, including sun glare and heavy rain.
A spokesperson stated that the software is designed to “provide automated recognition of drivers using mobile phones while driving in order to enforce traffic safety laws intended to prevent distracted driving.”
However, it is believed that this type of technology has the potential to go even further, such as detecting drivers failing to stop at a red light, driving without insurance, and even driving without a valid MOT.
The “Heads Up” cameras are already being used for research purposes, with Safer Roads Greater Manchester deploying them as part of their survey to determine how many drivers break the law.
This data could then be used to shape future road safety campaigns related to mobile phone usage and seatbelts.
Peter Boulton, TfGM’s Network Director for Highways, said: “In Greater Manchester, we know that distractions and not wearing seatbelts are key factors in a number of road traffic collisions that have resulted in people being killed or seriously injured.
“By utilising this state-of-the-art technology provided by Acusensus, we hope to gain a better understanding of how many drivers break the law in this way, whilst also helping to reduce these dangerous driving practices and make our roads safer for everyone.”
The RAC has supported the move, stating that a “lack of enforcement” was making UK roads more dangerous for law-abiding drivers.
