Number of drivers caught using mobile phones behind the wheel increases by a THIRD as AI camera rollout increases

The number of drivers fined for using a mobile phone while driving has increased for the third consecutive year.

There was a 33 per cent increase in fines issued to drivers for mobile phones in 2023, while speeding fines in England and Wales have also soared to a record level, new data from the AA shows.

Fines for using a mobile phone while driving increased from 27,776 in 2022 to 36,842 in 2023, Home Office figures reveal.

In particular, the number of young drivers using a mobile phone while driving has risen to its highest level in eight years, according to the RAC – 21 years after using a phone while driving was considered a crime.

This comes after new AI cameras were rolled out across the country this year to detect drivers breaking the law.

The cutting-edge technology, which can be mounted on a trailer or vehicle and placed higher than traditional traffic or speed cameras, is so effective that the standalone AI cameras caught 117 people using their cell phones while driving on the highway. A30 in a period of 72 hours in summer.

While using a handheld mobile device while driving became illegal 21 years ago, it was only two years ago that the Government closed a loophole that previously meant drivers could escape punishment if they could prove they were not using the phone for ” interactive communication”.

As well as tightening rules, using cameras and new technology, safety organizations such as the AA are calling on the Government to increase the number of traffic officers.

Jack Cousens, head of road policy at the AA, said; ‘While cameras and new technology play an important role in road safety, these statistics clearly show that we need more police in cars to police the roads.

‘Yesterday, the Prime Minister said he would recruit 13,000 new officers, PCSOs and special constables.

“At least 1,000 should become traffic officers to help improve road safety and stop bad driving, before something tragic happens.”

Cases of careless driving have increased by 18 per cent, while the RAC revealed that there were 23 deaths on UK roads in 2023 where a driver using a mobile phone was considered to be a contributing factor to the collision, compared to 18 in 2019.

Furthermore, according to the latest official figures, distraction and impairment are factors behind 34.9 percent of all fatal collisions.

It’s not just mobile phone use that is increasing: the number of speeding fines issued in England and Wales has reached 2.7 million, an all-time high, according to The AA.

How many drivers use their phone illegally while driving?

The RAC’s 2024 Motoring Report found that 55 per cent of drivers under 25 admitted to making and receiving voice calls while driving, compared to 27 per cent of the general driving population and just 16 per cent. percent of those 65 years or older.

This is an increase of six percentage points from 2023 and three percentage points from 2016, when the data was first recorded.

Young drivers also lead the way in illegal cell phone use when it comes to voice memos.

Two in five younger drivers also reported having heard a voice memo while driving without using the hands-free device, while 40 per cent have recorded such a message. The corresponding rates for the total driver population are only 14 percent and 9 percent respectively.

Across all age groups, 15 percent of drivers have checked messages on their phones, and one in 10 say they have used their phones to write text messages, emails or social media posts while driving.

There has also been a notable increase in drivers taking photos and/or recording videos: in 2024, almost 8 percent admit to having done so in the last 12 months, up from 5 percent in both 2023 and 2022.

Illegal mobile phone use while driving is higher among younger drivers

Non-compliance with the law is again significantly higher among younger drivers: 39 percent of those under 25 years old check messages manually while driving.

Almost a third have taken a photo or recorded a video, a sharp increase from 19 percent in 2023.

And 40 percent of those under 25 have made or received a video call while driving, up from 30 percent in 2023 and 17 percent in 2022.

The launch of cameras with artificial intelligence to detect people using their phones while driving

The RAC found that 22 per cent of drivers said the use of handheld mobile phones behind the wheel is their main concern while driving, and 77 per cent of all drivers said they would like to see the widespread introduction of cameras designed to detect illegal use of phones while driving.

Drivers will therefore be happy to know that the deployment of AI cameras for this exact purpose has increased considerably this year.

In September, This is Money reported that Greater Manchester is the latest area to introduce new AI cameras on roads, as part of a survey to find out how many drivers are breaking the law and help future mobile phone road safety campaigns. and seat belts.

The cameras capture passing vehicles (they can track objects moving up to 300 kilometers per hour) and then the photos are processed through AI to detect if someone is using their smartphone while driving or if someone in the car is not wearing the seat belt.

In addition to capturing drivers with their mobile phones, the cameras can also detect people who are not wearing seat belts, both “key factors” in accidents.

RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis called the “increasing number” of young drivers using their phones while driving “extremely worrying”: “We suspect one of the main reasons for this is that drivers do not believe they can be trapped.”

“But the increasing use of artificial intelligence cameras that allow police to detect drivers breaking the law will hopefully send the message that offenders will be caught and punished with six penalty points and a £200 fine. pounds sterling. For young drivers who have passed their tests in the last two years, this means losing their licences.’

Which regions have AI cameras?

National Highways and Police Forces in England have extended an ongoing trial that began in 2021 and will now run until March 2025.

The 10 police forces taking part in the rollout are Greater Manchester, Durham, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley Police and Sussex.

The trial aims to help police forces understand how AI technology could work on national roads and shape any nationwide rollout.

In the future, AI cameras will be installed on highway gantries in the test regions.

How effective are AI cameras?

Standalone AI cameras on the A30 near Launceston in Devon caught 117 people using their mobile phones while driving in a 72-hour period in July.

Another 130 people were photographed not wearing seat belts.

In July 2023, Hampshire and Thames Valley Police detected almost 500 offenses in a week after using a van with mounted AI cameras.

Placed on the A34 and A303 motorways as part of a campaign by the National Police Chiefs Council, the Acusensus “Heads Up” vehicle caught drivers using their phones, not wearing a seatbelt and driving under the influence of drugs.

A total of 86 drivers were suspected of using a phone. Some 273 drivers or passengers were suspected of not wearing seat belts and another 132 mechanical violations were identified.

Following checks carried out by a member of staff, five arrests were made.