New cameras being deployed in Scotland to monitor drivers on mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts

New camera technology is being rolled out in Scotland for the first time to detect drivers using mobile phones behind the wheel and those failing to wear a seatbelt.

The cameras will monitor roads in 12 different locations across Scotland for the next six months in what is the largest survey of its kind ever undertaken in the UK.

This survey will collect data about the scale of the two problems to guide future investment in road safety.

According to Transport Scotland, of the estimated 4.7 million vehicle journeys made in Scotland each day, around 169,000 involve drivers who do not wear seatbelts, and more than 28,000 may involve drivers using handheld devices.

Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “We know using a mobile phone behind the wheel when driving and not wearing a seatbelt are two of the highest factors which risk death or injury on our roads and present significant dangers to other drivers and passengers on Scotland’s roads.

“This trial will give us the most comprehensive picture yet of the scale of these issues.

“Recent statistics show that almost a quarter of in-car fatalities were of drivers and passengers who were not wearing a seatbelt at the time and tens of thousands of drivers continue to use mobile phones behind the wheel on a daily basis at serious risk and danger to themselves and others.

“We cannot allow that to continue, and this trial will help inform the next steps in tackling these behaviours through enforcement, education and targeted investment.

“The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to our goal of making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030. The use of new technology to tackle some of the most dangerous driver behaviour will help us achieve that goal.”#

Transport Scotland says there is no timetable for enforcement at this stage, but two unmanned trailers will rotate monthly across Scotland for up to six months and feed data into a post-survey report.

The technology being used in the trial uses trailer-mounted cameras with AI processing software to assess the probability of a road traffic offence occurring in passing vehicles. It will operate 24/7 in all lighting conditions, capturing vehicles travelling at high speed.

The AI is used to filter out instances where an offence may be likely, before then being validated through two further stages of human review.

Geoff Collins from Acusensus, the company behind the camera technology, said: “As the UK’s largest ever survey of mobile phone and seatbelt use, this project will provide clear evidence for the scale of poor driving behaviours on Scottish roads.

“We know from existing operational schemes that this knowledge gives us a chance to change bad habits, which will result in fewer avoidable collisions and casualties”

Dr Jamie Uff, technical director at AECOM, the company analysing the data from the trial, added: “Distracted driving and failure to wear seat belts continue to kill or seriously injure far too many people on our roads every year, despite high awareness of the risk of these behaviours.

“This programme will make detection straightforward and will provide valuable insight on the current level of road user behaviour. We hope to see this technology help raise awareness and improve road safety in Scotland.”