The United Kingdom is set to enhance road safety by deploying AI-powered cameras designed to detect distracted driving and seatbelt violations.
This initiative aims to reduce road accidents and promote compliance with traffic regulations, particularly in East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire.
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BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 18: People watch a woman speaking on her mobile phone as she drives her convertible sports car past a Job Centre on March 18, 2009 in Bristol, England. Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images
AI Cameras Target Distracted Driving in UK Roads
Starting on Monday, June 10, a mobile AI-powered camera unit will be in operation for one week across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire, the BBC reports. This technology, on loan from National Highways, is a part of Safer Roads Humber's efforts to increase road safety in the region.
Ian Robertson from the Safer Roads Humber partnership expressed the significance of this new technology: "This state-of-the-art equipment increases our enforcement capability."
How the Technology Works
The AI-powered cameras use advanced artificial intelligence to scan vehicles for drivers using handheld mobile phones and for occupants not wearing seat belts.
When a potential violation is detected, the camera captures an image which is then sent to an officer for a secondary check. This ensures that only confirmed violations are prosecuted, maintaining accuracy and fairness in enforcement.
Drivers caught using a handheld mobile phone while driving face significant penalties, including a £200 fine and six points on their driving license. Those not wearing a seatbelt can be fined £100, with the driver held responsible for any passengers under the age of 14.
In some cases, offenders may be offered an educational course as an alternative to prosecution, aiming to educate and improve driver behavior rather than solely penalize.
Distracted driving remains a serious issue. In 2022, the UK Department for Transport estimated that approximately 350 people were killed due to distraction or impairment while driving.
Comparative data also highlights that drivers in the United States are 120% more likely to be killed by a distracted driver than those in the UK, indicating the severity of the issue on a global scale. For every 10% increase in distracted driving, the crash rate rises by 1.4%.
AI Technology for Road Safety
In January 2024, NTT Data, a Japanese information technology company, expanded into AI to address road safety for Japan's aging population. Their project aims to create an AI system capable of detecting cognitive decline in elderly drivers, analyzing parameters like speed and acceleration to provide real-time insights into cognitive functions.
Similarly, researchers at the University of Zurich have recently developed a system combining AI with bio-inspired cameras to accelerate the detection of pedestrians and obstacles on the road. This innovation promises to improve reaction times and reduce computational requirements, particularly beneficial for autonomous vehicles.
