50,000 potential mobile phone use offenses in safety camera trial

More than 50,000 potential mobile phone use offenses have been detected in the first two months of a six-month safety camera trial in Auckland.

Two safety cameras at three undisclosed locations in the region managed to detect a total of 50,333 potential offenses – an average of 800 per day.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, which is running the trial, said 4.4 million vehicles had traveled through the camera sites in the trial’s first two months.

The trial began in May and Auckland drivers using their mobile phone while driving or not wearing their seat belt are the targets.

READ MORE: Cameras to snap drivers’ mobile phone, seat belt use

The seat belt-detection function of the cameras was enabled on July 23. Initial data on potential offenses for non-wearing of seat belts will be available from next month.

Drivers caught breaking the rules won’t be fined or given demerit points, as no enforcement action is being taken as part of the trial.

It’s all about the NZTA trying to better understand distracted driving.

The NZTA says the scale of distracted driving and motorists not wearing seat belts is mostly anecdotal.

Driver distraction is a contributing factor in almost 8% of fatal crashes. Around 90 people per year die on the country’s roads because they aren’t wearing a seat belt

NZTA director of land transport Kane Patena said the initial data is providing useful insight into the camera technology itself, as well as providing evidence on the level of offending.

The trial works like this:

• drivers who don’t have both hands on the steering wheel will be captured to try and see if they’re distracted by their phone. The same goes for those who aren’t wearing a seat belt
• the driver’s face and those of any passengers will be automatically blurred when the vehicle is snapped. The same goes for the vehicle’s number plate
• if people are wearing a seat belt and driver’s aren’t using their phone, the photo will be deleted straight away
• for those not buckled up and driving distracted, the photo is deleted within 48 hours.