Super cam nabs drivers on phones and without seatbelts

[Kermit]

Super cam nabs drivers on phones and without seatbelts from 600m away



THE world's most advanced speed camera - so accurate it can catch you using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt from 600m away - is being assessed for Victoria.

Victoria Police yesterday told the Herald Sun it was "watching with interest" the beefed-up laser camera's introduction in Britain. NSW police also confirmed they were considering buying the cameras.

The $18,500 Concept II laser speed camera is being used by police in Dorset as the latest tool in their zero-tolerance approach to driving offences.

As well as checking speed, the device's camera resolution is reported to be sharp enough to pick out an unbuckled belt at a range of up to 600m.

The camera is able to record both a still image and video evidence to DVD.

Critics say the camera is just another way to boost revenue.

But a spokeswoman said Victoria Police was monitoring the development of the super camera. "We have not tested or seen this technology in Victoria, but we watch the overseas testing with interest," she said.

And NSW Police said: "As speeding and using a mobile phone while driving are both dangerous, we would certainly look at technology that facilitates driver compliance on the state's roads."

Local police and road authorities have been battling for years to discourage people from driving while talking on phones.

Last month alone police detected 5734 mobile-phone driving offences and 3584 seatbelt breaches in their 52-day holiday road blitz.

Road safety campaigners have called for the new technology to be tested in Victoria.

Working Against Culpable Driving co-founder Penny Martin, whose son Josh was killed by a hoon, said the camera could help cut the road toll.

"If there's already technology around the world doing this sort of thing there's no reason we shouldn't trial it," she said.

"People might say it's all about raising money, but these things aren't in place to inconvenience drivers; they're there to stop people dying."

TAC road safety manager Samantha Cockfield said it would also monitor the effect on road trauma after it was introduced by Dorset Police.

"We know from evaluations of previous automated enforcement technologies how successful they can be in reducing the number and severity of injury crashes," she said.

The two cameras being used in Dorset in the south of England are not yet recording video evidence, but have already caught some bizarre behaviour on stills.

Project manager Brian Austin said one driver was caught playing a harmonica using both hands.

"He thought he was driving quite successfully while playing the instrument," he said.

What the Concept II laser speed camera can do

* Detects speed, seatbelt and mobile phone offences
* Sharp enough to detect an unbuckled seatbelt at 600m
* Can store up to 4000 incidents on video

http://www.news.com.au/national/super-c ... 6262428942

[dickfaber]

Working Against Culpable Driving co-founder Penny Martin, whose son Josh was killed by a hoon, said the camera could help cut the road toll.

yeah, just look at that hoon!

and can you believe the harmonica? i believe you can buy a laptop rack for your steering wheel so you can work during your commute

imho, it is these muppets on phones, or doing their makeup that cause most crashes, then leave before they can be reported; was punted twice by clowns like this, once by someone doing their makeup while on the phone; and they didnt stop after running me up a nature strip. it took the police 30 minutes to track them down and stop them. he (yes it was a he) almost ran the coppers off the road; said he never saw them and certainly didnt see me!. got off with a warning from the courts

[h.b.bear]

Got to admitt i am guilty of that crime with the phone whilst driving b-doubles and just ordinary trucks and cars,but havnt once caused any grief to motorist by doing it ,even though i know it's wrong and anything can happen any time and i have been lucky i guess.But there are people that i have observed over the years using phones that get that carried away they forget they are behind the wheel of a vechicle,you see them waving their arms,yelling and just going dead set mental over something.So even though i deserve whats coming to me if caught it's these other idiots that really need to be caught,so i think this camera will be a good thing until i am caught and i will probably change my mind

[Possum]

One of my managers was trying to hide the fact he was texting at the lights (in the work car!) on Thursday arvo. One of my more adventurous colleagues went up and belted on the passenger window, he dam near shat himself ..

I think it’s a good thing. I’m sick of riding in traffic where idgits are already distracted enough..

[laidback]

This is similar to the drink while driving thread. As discussed at length in that tread it's not necessarily the act that's bad although it MAY lead to the real cause of a smash.

This is just another easy way to say they are tackling the death/injury caused by accidents.

The real cause of smashes is inattention, lack of skills etc.
The real cause of accidents is something breaks on the car, blowout etc.

IMHO anyone causing a *smash* should have to, as well as paying the penalty, undergo a thorough skills test before being allowed to drive again...Fail - back to school...pass - away you go. This way we would get rid of some of the bad drivers, even if for only a short time.