New AI-powered cameras targeting drivers using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts are being deployed across Scotland in a major new road safety trial.
The six-month project will monitor driver behaviour at 12 locations covering urban roads, rural routes and roadworks and could become the benchmark for enhanced deterrents and punishments for driving offences in the UK in the future.
Unlike some existing systems, the cameras won’t initially issue fines, with the Scottish Government wanting to build the most comprehensive dataset yet on how common these dangerous behaviours really are.
Over the past few years, AI cameras have been rolled out across the UK with the ability to detect a range of offences, including mobile phone use and seatbelt non-compliance.
These systems use advanced imaging and machine learning to identify risky behaviour inside vehicles, something traditional speed cameras were never designed to do.
The result is an interesting question – are offences actually increasing, or are authorities simply getting better at detecting what was already happening on the roads?
We’ve already seen enforcement numbers rise as new technology comes online and in 2024 alone, more than 3.3 million Notices of Intended Prosecution were issued across the UK, a jump from 2.9 million two years earlier.
As enforcement becomes more automated and widespread, understanding driver behaviour across your fleet becomes increasingly important.
Tools such as Risk Monitor and Telematics Monitor can help provide a clearer picture of driver habits before enforcement or incidents become a problem.
