Latest news with #Acusensus
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivers warned about life-changing consequences of using phone behind the wheel
Bolton drivers are being warned about the potentially life-changing consequences of using their mobile phone behind the wheel as part of a new campaign by Safer Roads Greater Manchester. Distractions can make drivers slower to recognise and react to dangers on the road, the group say. Using a mobile phone while driving is a significant cause of road traffic collisions in Greater Manchester, leading to death and life-changing injury of drivers, passengers and others. Superintendent Gareth Parkin (Image: Supplied) Between 2014 and 2024, there were 1,174 incidents where driver distraction was a contributing factor, with 117 serious collisions and 17 resulting in fatalities. Read more: Men arrested in Farnworth with 'drugs and combat knife' Read more: Bolton man, 40s, charged with assault and criminal damage These offences are often under-reported, meaning the full extent of the problem is probably worse in Greater Manchester. Last year a trial of state-of-the-art cameras in the region caught 3,205 people using their phone while driving or not wearing seat belts, with 812 incidents of mobile phone usage recorded over a 51-day period. In some instances, drivers were caught using their phone with passengers in the car. Read more: Woman arrested after girl 'known to her' dies in house fire The trial, carried out by Acusensus and AECOM on behalf of Safer Roads Greater Manchester, was held throughout September and October to gather data to better understand the scale of the issue in Greater Manchester. Dame Sarah Storey (Image: Supplied) Last year Greater Manchester adopted Vision Zero, an ambition to eliminate all traffic fatalities and life changing injuries in the city-region by 2040. In 2023, 45 people lost their lives on our roads and a further 754 people were seriously injured. Peter Boulton, TfGM's highways network director, said: 'Using mobile phones while driving is a key factor in a number of road traffic collisions in Greater Manchester which have resulted in people being killed or suffering life changing injuries on our roads. 'These images unfortunately show that there are many drivers that seem comfortable putting their own lives, and the lives of their passengers and other road users, in harm's way. If you use your phone while driving, you are four times more likely to be in a crash, so it's not worth the risk. 'I hope these images serve as a wake-up call for drivers and passengers on the risks and potential consequences of not driving distracted.' It is illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle on the roads in the UK. Even using a hands-free option can incur penalties if your driving is deemed to be dangerous. Drivers must stay in full control of their vehicles at all times. The police can stop you if they think you're not in control because you're distracted and you can be prosecuted. You can get six penalty points on your licence and a £200 fine if you use a hand-held phone when driving. If you get six points within two years of passing your test you will lose your licence. Superintendent Gareth Parkin, of GMP's Transport Operations Department said: 'Whilst our officers are out on patrol we see on far too many occasions the reckless actions drivers take when being distracted by their mobile phone. 'The road requires your full attention and any lapse in concentration, however quick, can lead to catastrophic consequences, not only for yourself and loved ones, but other members of the public who are going about their day unaware of what may happen to them. 'We are constantly trying to send a clear and strong message that if you do take the chance of being on your phone whilst driving you are breaking the law. This means you will receive the relevant punishment when caught, which can include potentially losing your licence, having to pay a large fine and in some cases of causing serious injury having to spend time behind bars meaning it isn't worth the risk. 'Anyone can report their concerns through the usual methods, but especially through our Operation Snap portal online where we can look to take retrospective action if caught on dashcam or footage from other devices for those who commit offences such as this on a regular basis.' Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, added: 'I am regularly contacted by people who feel helpless to what they describe as the plague of people using a mobile phone behind the wheel of their vehicle. 'Witnesses are from all modes, whether that's a bus or tram passenger, pedestrians or cyclists, in slow moving traffic or at higher speeds - more and more people are observing the sheer number of people using their mobile phones whilst driving - and as the images in this campaign show, it's terrifying."
CBS News
22-02-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
New AI traffic cameras in Minnesota can capture phone usage while driving
Law enforcement is getting high-tech help to crack down on distracted driving. "We've kind of discovered it's a bigger problem than I think we realized," said South Lake Minnetonka Patrol Sergeant Adam Moore. Moore is referring to distracted driving, up until now, was typically not caught on camera. "It's one of the things that plagues Highway 7," said Moore. In 2024 alone, Moore says Highway 7 saw at least five fatal crashes and many other severe accidents. "It really all started because our community asked us for a solution," said Moore. Officers with the department are now employing the help of AI cameras that can recognize when drivers are on their phones. "It gives us the opportunity to see inside the vehicle," said Moore. The Australian-based company, Acusensus, built the cameras. The cameras are being paid for, in part, with a more than $400,000 grant from the state. "I'm excited to be the ones on the forefront of this," said Moore. While Moore understands some have privacy concerns, he assures drivers that if police don't take action, photos are deleted within 15 minutes. The cameras don't automatically issue tickets. Police check and make sure there is actual distracted driving and then pull the driver over. The department has been using the cameras since Feb. 1 and says officers have stopped more than 100 drivers in the last few weeks thanks to the technology. "Our agency personally has written about 70 citations," said Moore. Moore expects the cameras will detect up to tens of thousands of distracted drivers by the end of February.
