Suffolk Police is the latest force to deploy AI technology, designed specifically to detect the unlawful use of mobile handheld devices by drivers and non-compliance with the wearing of seatbelts.
The technology is currently being successfully used in other areas of the country and has been shown to deliver ‘significant behavioural change’, Suffolk Police says.
The aim of the project is to improve road safety by encouraging drivers and passengers to make safe choices when using the county’s roads – with the findings and outcomes contributing to a national knowledge base.
In recent years in Suffolk, the unlawful use of mobile devices and failure to wear a seatbelt have been identified as contributory factors in a number of collisions in which people have been killed or seriously injured.
These incidents highlight the significant risks associated with these behaviours and reinforce the importance of targeted enforcement, education and prevention activity.
Suffolk Constabulary has previously trialled this technology and gathered data about the extent of seat belt non-compliance and mobile device use by drivers in the county.
This project is intended to deepen this understanding and importantly will also enable Suffolk Police to take enforcement action where appropriate. Data captured will be shared with other forces and Road Safety partners to help inform future collisions reduction strategies.
The cameras will remain in place for several weeks, before being reviewed and evaluated and once the project has been completed, Suffolk Constabulary’s Road Safety Team will publish the results and findings.
Chief inspector Gary Miller, head of the roads & armed policing team, said: “Mobile phone use and failing to wear a seatbelt remain significant contributors to death and serious injury on our roads.
“This project will help us better understand the scale of these behaviours in Suffolk while supporting our ongoing efforts to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured.
“The vast majority of motorists travel responsibly and we know they share our concerns about the dangers posed by distraction and other avoidable risks behind the wheel.”
Tim Passmore, Suffolk’s police & crime commissioner, said: “I am a great believer in using technology to improve policing and these new AI cameras will more easily identify drivers who resist wearing seat belts and use their mobile devices whilst driving.
“These cameras will help us to really appreciate the scale of this issue and hopefully, knowing these are in use will encourage the reckless drivers who flout the rules to buckle up and not use mobile devices.
“Every irresponsible driver we can stop, is hopefully another safer and more considerate driver on our roads.”
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