Stop using your phone, smart road signs to warn motorists
ELECTRONIC road signs that can detect motorists who are using their mobile phones while driving are being introduced.
The signs are able to pick up signals from phones inside cars and will flash a warning symbol to remind drivers it is illegal to use their handsets when behind the wheel.
A scanner on the sign can receive both phone and Bluetooth signals, and differentiates between the two so those using phones hands-free via Bluetooth
‘Using a phone at the wheel can have devastating consequences if it causes a fatal or serious collision’
will not receive the warning. However, the road sign cannot yet monitor data connections, meaning those texting or using internet services on their phones will also be allowed to pass by without a warning being flashed up.
The first of three £6,000 electronic signs was introduced in Norwich, Norfolk, yesterday. They are intended as a deterrent as the signs cannot yet record registration plates or issue fines. The signs also cannot yet tell whether a driver or passenger is using the phone.
However, data from the signs will be collected by Norfolk police who will use the statistics to guide them on potential future crackdowns and possible violation hotspots.
Those caught using mobile phones at the wheel face a £200 fine and six points on their licence, after tougher sanctions were introduced last year. Cases that go to court can result in disqualification from driving and a maximum fine of £1,000. Bus or lorry drivers could be fined up to £2,500.
The technology powering the signs was developed by Norfolk council’s road safety team in partnership with a local vehicle sign company. The road signs work by using a scanner to detect radio signals emitted when someone in the car is connected to a call. This illuminates a sign further along the road.
Iain Temperton, the council’s road safety director, said the “cutting-edge” technology would be used as an “educational tool”.
In January, Norfolk police recorded 120 mobile phone motoring offences. Jonathan Chapman, inspector of Norfolk Roads Policing Unit, said: “We will use the information to help us target drivers in the future but the message is simple – leave your phone alone while you’re behind the wheel.
“Using a phone at the wheel can have devastating consequences if it causes a fatal or serious collision.”
It has been illegal to touch a mobile phone while driving – even a handsfree set – since 2003.
The law applies even if the vehicle is stationary, if the engine is still running. Phones can only be used legally if the vehicle is safely parked or the user needs to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is unsafe or impractical to stop. Hands-free phones and satnavs can only be used if no buttons or switches are touched.
According to the Department for Transport, the latest statistics available show that between 2013 and 2015, 24 people per year were killed in road traffic accidents where the driver was using their mobile phone. This compares with 17 fatalities in 2012.