Police have reported that nearly a thousand drivers across County Durham have been caught using their mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt in just one week, thanks to the installation of a temporary enforcement camera. These people will now receive either warning letters or fines.
The Acusensus camera was deployed in the first week of July as part of a trial which aims to target people committing these specific driving offences.
The cameras, which were installed near Newton Aycliffe, use both steep and shallow angled views, giving officers the ability to see directly into the vehicle’s console area. They use artificial intelligence to instantly analyse high-definition images taken through the windscreen of every passing vehicle and software sifts through them in real-time, flagging any showing someone with a phone in their hand or not wearing a seatbelt for review by a human moderator.
Durham Police report that during the week, 622 drivers were caught using a mobile phone and 329 were caught not wearing a seatbelt. Other offences included drivers not being under full control and dangerous carriage of a passenger. The force posted the details in a Facebook post under the headline “We see you”.
Road Policing Inspector Paul Ryans said: “The results are truly shocking, the majority of the images show that almost all offenders are holding their phones low down meaning they are not concentrating on the road ahead of them, creating a significant risk not only to themselves but their passengers and other innocent motorists too.
“We will be prosecuting all of the drivers who were caught on camera in the hope of changing behaviour and to prevent further tragedies.
“The message is: switch off your phone and put it away so you are not distracted.”
Durham is just one of the many police forces working with Australian company Acusensus which is behind the technology. Its UK General Manager Geoff Collins said: “We have to break the cycle of dangerous behaviours that some drivers get into, so this project sends a clear message – you can be detected and there are consequences.
“Our ‘Heads Up’ technology has been shown to make the roads safer in Australia, so we fully expect to bring the same casualty reduction benefits here in the UK too.”
Out of the 954 caught by the cameras breaking the law, all of them are being processed and will or have received letters in the post.
Those caught using a mobile phone will have to pay a £200 fine and will receive six points on their licence. During the week, one motorist was caught four times holding their phone, another driver three times – they’ll now be banned and will attend court at a future date.
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “This camera has provided 951 sharp lessons that driving without a seatbelt or using a mobile phone is seriously not a good idea. We have to stop people taking risks like this, which are potentially lethal. I know that road safety is one of the absolute top priorities for many residents, and I am doing everything I can to boost enforcement and crack down on those who continue to flout the law.”
(Picture – Acusensus/Durham Police)
