Australia to get phone-detecting traffic cams in bid to curb distracted driving

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By Sharmishta Sarkar
published

Keep it in your pants

texting while driving

Drivers using mobile phones while driving could soon be fined without them even knowing, thanks to new technology that can detect phone use.

The new tech is slated to be installed in stationary traffic cameras and will not only be able to detect phone use, but will also be able to fine drivers automatically – no police intervention needed.

This call to action comes after NSW Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey asked for “practical, technology-based solutions” to prevent mobile use while driving, and could make it hard for drivers to get away with the offence. Currently, line of sight remains the primary means of detection for police.

The use of camera technology in curbing mobile phone use offences has been included in the NSW Government’s Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Road Safety) Bill 2018, making the state the first in Australia to adopt this type of legislation.

Sharmishta Sarkar
Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and loves all things photography, something she discovered while chasing monkeys in the wilds of India (she studied to be a primatologist but has since left monkey business behind). While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. When she's not testing camera kits or the latest in e-paper tablets, she's discovering the joys and foibles of smart home gizmos. She's also the Australian Managing Editor of Digital Camera World and, if that wasn't enough, she contributes to T3 and Tom's Guide, while also working on two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under.

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