Last call for Canberra drivers

Drivers using cell phones while driving can have fatal effects.

Authorities in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) are now moving to crack down on this practice and selection Accuse Australia will supply and operate cameras intended to detect drivers who are texting or talking rather than focusing on the road ahead.

“Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for more than two seconds doubles your risk of an accident, with mobile phones often being the source of that distraction,” said Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steele.

“In the past five fiscal years, ACT Police has issued an average of 911 violations and 260 warnings for using a mobile device while driving. The actual violation rate is likely much higher.”

Acusensus already supplies this equipment to Queensland and New South Wales.

The cameras will be installed next year and will work day and night in all weather conditions.

Two static cameras will be located in the Hindmarsh Drive and Gungahlin Drive area of ​​Canberra, while three mobile cameras will be moved across various locations in the city.

Images that detect a potential violation will automatically be trimmed and cropped to show only the driver’s view. These will be reviewed by an artificial intelligence system, then a human operator before an infringement notice decision is made.

“Mobile phone use is a major source of road accidents,” noted Alexander Jannik, Founder and General Manager of Acusensus.

“Our camera application programs in other states are leading the way in changing driver behavior and reducing road injuries, and I fully expect to see the same positive results in the ACT.”

Warning notices will be issued initially, with infringement notices beginning in October 2023.

The ACT Government will carry out an awareness campaign via TV, digital, radio and outdoor advertisements, to ensure drivers know that holding a phone while driving is now a high-risk activity in more ways than one.