AI cameras arrive to catch drivers using phones at the wheel for social media clout

Almost a third of young people have admitted to using their phone at the wheel and Greater Manchester Police has announced the rollout of AI safety cameras to catch them. The AI cameras are now in the field, utilising the latest technology to spot those breaking the law in pursuit of bragging rights on social media, or with any other motivation.

Research by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found that 31 per cent of 18-26-year-olds have confessed to filming themselves while driving, with 57 per cent then going as far as to upload the footage to social media.

Two in five (41 per cent) of the 1,000 young drivers surveyed also said they’ve texted a friend while driving – an offence that could result in a £200 fine and six points on their licence. This could even result in an instant driving ban as those who have carried their driving licence for under two years can rack up no more than six points before being booted off the road and having to retake their tests.

This rise in drivers focusing more on Facebook than the car in front of them has led to more and more police forces turning to the latest technology to bring them to justice. Greater Manchester Police is just the latest force to take part in a national trial using state-of-the-art cameras that can be mounted on top of a trailer or van to photograph vehicles travelling at up to 186mph. The technology can then analyse the footage to determine whether the person behind the wheel is on their phone.

It’s not just people using their phones that’s the problem, either; Devon and Cornwall police – another force utilising similar AI technology – recently caught as many as 109 children over the months of July and August on camera not wearing their seatbelts.

Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Highways Network Director, Peter Boulton, said: “We know that distractions and not wearing seat belts are key factors in a number of road traffic collisions on our roads which have resulted in people being killed or seriously injured.

“By utilising this state-of-the-art technology, 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 launch of the new AI cameras follows Greater Manchester Police’s recent ‘Touch.Screen’ campaign which was backed by local resident, Calvin Buckley, who lost his partner and unborn daughter in a car crash in which the other driver was filming himself driving at speeds of up to 123mph.

“Two people lost their lives as a result of someone using their phone while driving, and to put it simply my life was destroyed,” Buckley said in a statement.

“It’s become quite common for people to use their phone to check messages, send photos or change the music while driving… But all it takes is a split second to become distracted, and when you take your eyes off the road anything could happen.”

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