AI cameras catch drivers using mobile phones

Thousands of drivers were caught by new artificial intelligence (AI) cameras using their phone behind the wheel or not wearing a seat belt. 

The trial, which took place over a five-week period in Greater Manchester, used a combination of AI and human reviewers to detect offences.

More than 3,200 people were captured by the ‘Heads Up’ camera system, which has been developed by Acusensus, showing drivers using a mobile phone while behind the wheel, sometimes with passengers – including children – next to them.

In several cases the cameras also found drivers, adult and child passengers not being securely fastened in their seats or not wearing seat belts at all. 

The findings, released during Brake’s Road Safety Week and in support of Greater Manchester’s Vision Zero Strategy to eliminate road deaths and life-changing injury by 2040, will be used to inform campaigns and to raise awareness of the consequences of not complying with the law. 

Kate Green, Greater Manchester's deputy mayor for safer and stronger communities, said: “Distractions such as using mobile phones while driving and not wearing seat belts are key factors in a number of road traffic collisions on our roads which have resulted in people being killed or suffering life-changing injuries. 

“This trial was launched so we could better understand the scale of this problem in Greater Manchester, and the images speak for themselves. 

“They show drivers who are needlessly putting themselves and others – including young children – at risk, and sadly we know that being distracted for just a second, or not wearing a seat belt properly, can have devastating consequences.” 

The ‘Heads Up’ cameras capture images of passing vehicles which are initially processed using AI to detect drivers who are potentially breaking the law and putting themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk.  

The use of AI as the first filter aims to ensure privacy for law-abiding motorists.

The system checked hundreds of thousands of vehicles over an intermittent period between September 3 and October 24, something which would likely take a human reviewer several months to complete.

Images that contain evidence of an offence go through a two-stage human check to confirm that an offence has taken place. 

Any offences detected as part of the trial have been passed to the police for them to consider further action. However, if no offence has been committed, the image is immediately deleted by the software and no further action will be taken.  

As it stands, no offenders have yet been prosecuted from this trial.  

During the deployment the Heads Up system recorded 812 drivers distracted by using mobile phones behind the wheel, and 2,393 incidents of seat belt non-compliance by drivers or passengers. 

The trial, carried out by AECOM and Acusensus on behalf of Safer Roads Greater Manchester, was held across the city-region throughout September and October to gather data to understand the scale of the issue to inform future education campaigns and enforcement. 

Green said: “I hope these images serve as a wake-up call for drivers and passengers on the importance of not driving distracted and seat belt compliance.”

In the past 10 years, almost 10,000 people who live in, work in or visit Greater Manchester have been killed or seriously injured on the city’s roads. 

Between 2018 and 2022, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists accounted for nearly two thirds of those killed or seriously injured, while drivers and passengers made up 34% of casualties.  

In 2022, there were 71 traffic fatalities or serious injuries every month in Greater Manchester. 

In total, 64 people were killed over the course of the year – 25 of them pedestrians.

Dame Sarah Storey, active travel commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “The results of the trial show the horrifying truth behind the number of drivers who still don't consider how their behaviour behind the wheel of their vehicle can affect themselves, their passengers and other people using the roads. 

“Statistics show you are four times more likely to be involved in a collision if you use your phone while driving and twice as likely to die if you don't wear a seatbelt. 

“Alongside drink and drug driving and speeding, mobile phone usage and not wearing a seat belt make up the fatal four, the leading causes of serious injury and death on UK roads, which affects the lives around 1,000 people a year in Greater Manchester.”