New speed cameras that see into your car have led to warnings from motoring experts that convictions for motoring offenses have already ‘rocketed’.
Drivers are being warned that thousands now face convictions for illegally using a mobile phone at the wheel as new high-tech cameras continue to be rolled out across the UK.
A new government study analyzed by road safety experts Road Angel has revealed that up to 400,000 Britons could be caught and punished by the new technology.
New ‘spot’ cameras capable of detecting mobile phone use while driving are currently being installed on 25 routes in the north of England following successful trials in Greater Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Wales.
The study showed 0.3 per cent of motorists were observed using a mobile phone while driving, rising to 0.8 per cent in the evening – with similar proportions in England and Scotland.
It estimates that between 150,000 and 400,000 of Britain’s 50 million drivers are still illegally using a hand-held device behind the wheel.
Compared to the latest figures from the Department of Justice, only 13,332 people were caught and punished for using a hand-held device in 2023.
This represents a 90 per cent increase on the previous year, as new cameras have been trialled in some parts of the country to catch more motorists.
However, the number of drivers caught will skyrocket as speed cameras capable of seeing inside vehicles are deployed across Britain.
Transport Scotland has already signed a contract worth almost £500,000 to install in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with the rest of the UK to follow.
Doubled as a red light camera, the VECTOR-SR can catch motorists who are not wearing seat belts.
The new cameras have been highly effective in capturing motorists traveling in multiple lanes in both directions.
The first trials in Devon last year led to four new cameras catching 3,280 speeding drivers in just two weeks with the new cameras.
They lack the traditional box structure of older speed cameras, are harder to spot and don’t require traffic signs or a flash to spot motorists breaking the law.
Drivers caught holding and using a hand-held device behind the wheel can face six penalty points and a £200 fine, rising to £1,000 and a driving ban if prosecuted.
Gary Digva of Road Angel warned: “The introduction of these high-tech cameras is a positive step forward to help reduce the number of accidents caused by motorists using hand-held devices while driving.
“By catching drivers holding and using mobile phones behind the wheel, the new cameras will be able to penalize far more motorists than the old legacy systems are currently capable of.
“Despite a fall in the number of drivers being spotted using hand-held devices, a recent government study shows that up to 400,000 Britons could still be breaking the law and putting lives at risk.
“The latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show that convictions for drivers using hand-held devices have almost doubled compared to the previous year with the introduction of the new cameras.
“As Vector SR and other high-tech cameras capable of seeing inside vehicles replace old systems across Britain, the number of prosecutions will skyrocket.
“Not only will the thousands of drivers who use a mobile phone illegally face a hefty fine of up to £1,000, points on your driving license and a potential driving ban, you are putting your life and that of other road users at serious risk. in grave danger.”
“Never use a handheld device to text, call, take photos or videos, or browse the web while driving, instead use hands-free alternatives that don’t block your view of the road.”