Victorians using their mobile phones while driving could be caught and fined if the Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) trial of distracted driver technology leads to the equipment being rolled out.
Acting Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Danny Pearson said the TAC would develop and implement the technology on State roads by 2023 and new legislation would be introduced to ensure people caught doing the wrong thing could be fined.
“The trial was conducted over a three-month period, assessing a total of 679,438 vehicles,” Mr Pearson said.
“Throughout the trial one in 42 drivers was detected illegally using a mobile phone behind the wheel and putting lives at risk,” he said.
“The trial was conducted while Stage Four restrictions were in place in Victoria.
“As a result, it’s anticipated the rate of offending could be higher when roads are busier and movement isn’t restricted.”
Mr Pearson said the trial, which was launched in July last year, used two portable cameras across a number of metropolitan and regional locations and found the highest rates of mobile phone use were in Wollert, Hillside and Laverton.
He said the technology used an artificial intelligence-enabled camera system to capture high-resolution images of passing vehicles and images deemed likely to contain a mobile phone offence were then verified by trained personnel.
“The trial also found the distracted driving technology can detect drivers who don’t wear a seatbelt, uncovering a one-in-667 offence rate State-wide,” he said.
“Other dangerous behaviours, such as driving without hands on the wheel or with pets on laps, were also observed.”
Mr Pearson said research from Monash University’s Accident Research Centre (MUARC) estimated the technology could prevent 95 casualty crashes per year.
He said stakeholder consultation, technology testing and demonstrations, and a public awareness campaign would take place before the technology was rolled-out.
