Mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras are advanced automated systems designed to detect drivers illegally using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts while driving. These systems use high-resolution cameras combined with artificial intelligence (AI) software to capture and analyze images of vehicle occupants, identifying offenses with high accuracy.
How the Cameras Work
- The cameras are typically mounted on trailers, poles, or infrastructure such as gantries and operate day and night under all weather conditions.
- Each system has multiple cameras and infrared flashes to capture clear images of the vehicle's license plate and interior, focusing on the driver and front-seat passenger.
- AI software reviews the images in real time to detect potential mobile phone use (such as holding the phone to the ear or in the lap) or lack of seatbelt use.
- If no offense is detected, images are automatically discarded. If a potential offense is detected, images are flagged for further review by trained human officers before any penalty is issued.
- The cameras do not use facial recognition but may capture the faces of occupants incidentally, with privacy protections in place ensuring compliance with legal standards.
Benefits and Impact
- These cameras help reduce road crashes caused by distracted driving and improperly restrained passengers.
- In places like Victoria, Australia, the rollout of these cameras is predicted to prevent dozens of casualty crashes annually.
- They provide consistent enforcement and encourage safer driving behaviors through deterrence, including heavy fines and potential license penalties for offenders.
Privacy and Use
- Privacy is a key consideration; only authorized personnel review images, and non-offending images are deleted promptly.
- Several regions have undertaken privacy impact assessments to ensure compliance and transparency.
Overall, mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras leverage AI technology to improve road safety by targeting two significant risk factors in traffic accidents: distracted driving and failure to wear seatbelts.
