New camera technology to monitor the number of drivers not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones whilst driving is being deployed in Scotland for the first time as part of a six-month survey.

As two of the five high-risk driver behaviours referred to as the ‘Fatal 5' – joined in the group by careless driving, drink and drug driving and speeding – Transport Scotland stated that almost one in four road users killed on the country's roads were not wearing a seatbelt.

It added that, based on a UK-wide survey, 3.6% of road users drive without seatbelts and 0.6% of people use mobile devices whilst behind the wheel, meaning that roughly 169,000 drivers of Scotland's 4.7 million daily vehicle journeys are estimated not to use seatbelts, with over 28,000 possibly using handheld devices every day.

With the use of cameras provided by Acusensus, the survey is intended to collect data on the scale of these problems. The data is then expected to be used to inform future enforcement strategies, help drivers understand the risks of mobile phone use and not using seatbelts, and ‘ultimately guide road safety investment'.

Acusensus' technology uses trailer-mounted cameras with AI processing software to assess the probability of a road traffic offence occurring in passing vehicles. The AI software can filter out instances where an offence may be likely before being validated through two further stages of human review.

With two unmanned trailers available for the trial, they will be rotated across Scotland for up to six months starting this week, with the data collected being fed into a post-survey report.

With 12 different locations across Scotland selected, the survey plans to cover various road types, including urban, rural, trunk and local roads, as well as roadworks. Transport Scotland stated that this is expected to be the ‘largest survey of its kind, ever undertaken in the UK'.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: ‘We know using a mobile phone behind the wheel when driving and not wearing a seatbelt are two of the highest factors which risk death or injury on our roads and present significant dangers to other drivers and passengers on Scotland's roads. This trial will give us the most comprehensive picture yet of the scale of these issues.'

Geoff Collins, general manager at Acusensus, commented: ‘As the UK's largest ever survey of mobile phone and seatbelt use, this project will provide clear evidence for the scale of poor driving behaviours on Scottish roads. 

‘We know from existing operational schemes that this knowledge gives us a chance to change bad habits, which will result in fewer avoidable collisions and casualties'

Dr Jamie Uff, technical director at AECOM, the company analysing the data from the trial, added: ‘This programme will make detection straightforward and will provide valuable insight on the current level of road user behaviour. We hope to see this technology help raise awareness and improve road safety in Scotland.'