Cornwall is now at the forefront of a groundbreaking road safety project, with advanced AI cameras from Acusensus being deployed to monitor driver behaviour across the region. The initiative, which marks the UK’s first long-term use of the Australian technology, aims to identify and reduce offences related to seatbelt use and mobile phone distractions.
Three Acusensus camera systems have been installed at various locations throughout Cornwall, with the specific spots changing regularly over the course of the 12-month project. These cameras are part of a broader effort to enhance road safety across the county’s extensive 13,500-mile road network, says Cornish Stuff.
The Acusensus camera system is designed to capture high-speed front-facing and overhead images of vehicles, using artificial intelligence to detect potential offences. The images are then reviewed by a human verifier in the UK to confirm whether an offence has occurred. Drivers caught violating seatbelt or mobile phone laws will either receive a warning letter or a notice of intended prosecution, depending on the severity of the offence.
This system has been trialled before in Cornwall, with previous short-term deployments revealing significant numbers of violations. In a two-week test earlier this year, the cameras detected 408 seatbelt offences and 162 mobile phone-related infractions.
Adrian Leisk, Head of Road Safety for Devon & Cornwall Police, emphasised the dangers of mobile phone distraction and the failure to wear seatbelts. “Around a third of all fatal collisions nationally involve someone who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt,” Adrian noted, highlighting the increased risk drivers take when ignoring these safety measures.
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly, and chairman of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, also backed the deployment of the new technology. “You are four times more likely to crash when using a phone whilst driving, which is why it is illegal,” Alison said, stressing the importance of improving driver behaviour to enhance road safety for all.
(Pic – Vision Zero South West)
