“AI-equipped cameras that can automatically detect drivers breaking the law offer a chance for the tide to be turned.” Dennis continued, “The police can’t be everywhere all of the time, so it makes sense that forces look to the best available technology that can help them catch drivers acting illegally.”
Camera vans and lorries
It’s not just AI cameras that are ensuring that Big Brother is always watching; police forces have also been utilising unmarked camera vans and even lorries to record the illegal activity of unsuspecting phone users.
“Despite a high-profile change in the law, it seems many drivers are still falling foul when it comes to using a mobile phone behind the wheel.” says AA head of roads policy Jack Cousens, adding that although the organisation was a lead campaigner for tougher enforcement, too many drivers are failing to heed the law.
“It seems too many fear missing out on their notifications,” he says. “The best thing to do is convert the glove box into a phone box and keep the mobile out of reach.”
Road tax convictions also on the rise
More figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal that car crime isn’t just limited to those scrolling TikTok when driving; the number of drivers failing to pay their road tax has increased substantially in the last year, with convictions almost doubling to 99,694.
Convictions for drivers jumping red lights or failing to comply with signs were at a 12-year high in 2023, the AA says, with 11,940 found guilty by magistrates. However, speeding convictions fell by 8 per cent, with 203,500 guilty verdicts handed out, while drink and drug driving convictions stayed at roughly the same levels as 2022.
Need to refresh your memory? Here’s everything you need to know about the Highway Code…
