Drivers have been warned of new artificial intelligence cameras which can detect whether motorists are wearing their seatbelts or if they use a mobile phone behind the wheel.
The smart cameras have been rolled out across the South West with drivers urged to follow safety rules or risk getting slapped with hefty fines.
If caught not wearing a seatbelt while behind the wheel, drivers could be penalised up to £500 and up to £1,000 for using a mobile phone.
South Gloucestershire Council, which is cracking down on rulebreakers has rolled out new roadside camera technology, which can detect motorists who are not wearing a seatbelt or using mobile phones while driving.
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Drivers could be penalised up to £500 for not wearing a seatbelt behind the wheel
GETTYThe initiative looks at increasing road safety and eliminate serious and fatal injuries caused as a result of poor judgement.
Pamela Williams, road safety education and sustainable travel training manager at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We know that distracted driving and not wearing seatbelts are contributory factors in people being killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions.
“Working with our partners we want to reduce such dangerous driving and reduce the risks posed to both the drivers and other people.”
Images that are captured are initially processed using AI to analyse whether the motorists could be using a handheld mobile phone or people in the vehicle are not wearing a seat belt.
If the system identifies a likely offence, the images are sent on for review by at least two specially trained operators, in cases where no offence is detected, images are automatically deleted.
Images from the 12 hour survey at the end of March revealed that 150 people were detected not wearing a seatbelt and seven people were distracted by mobile phones whilst driving.
Data revealed that roughly 425 people were injured on roads in South Gloucestershire in 2023, with 69 of these resulting in death or serious injury.
Drivers being distracted by their phone is a key factor in causing collisions and those not wearing seatbelts are twice as likely to die in the event of a crash, the council warned.
Dr Jamie Uff, technical director at Aecom and the lead research professional managing the deployment of the technology, said: “Aecom is really pleased to be continuing our work with South Gloucestershire Council and Acusensus.
“Despite the efforts of road safety organisations to change behaviour through education, the numbers of people killed or seriously injured as a result of these unsafe driving practices remains high.
“The use of technology like this makes detection of these behaviours straightforward and is providing valuable insight to the police and policy makers.”
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Drivers can get six penalty points and a minimum £200 fine if caught using a phone
GETTYDrivers can get six penalty points and a minimum £200 fine if caught using a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle.
Motor expert, Louise Thomas at Confused.com, added that this new technology aims to help improve road safety, protecting both road users and pedestrians from dangerous driving.
Research by the group found that nearly half (48 per cent) of UK drivers recognise that AI cameras will help make roads safer.
Thomas commented: “Not focusing when behind the wheel can also result in near-misses or accidents. And for the drivers who are caught driving dangerously, they could be banned from driving altogether."