In Rhineland-Palatinate alone, over 1,000 people were involved in accidents caused by distracted driving, with mobile phone use being a significant factor in many of these incidents.
For every 10 drivers fined for mobile phone use, 1 of those 10 is fined for talking on the phone while the other 9 are fined for scrolling or typing. In response, Rhineland-Palatinate authorities have decided to equip roads with mobile speed cameras that can detect mobile phone use by drivers.
In a pilot project in Trier and Mainz, the use of the cameras resulted in a reduction of distractions by at least 50%, according to the Trier police.
SMARTcam project leader Matthias Emmerich said that “people do feel a bit monitored because they know they’re not allowed to do it.” According to Emmerich, almost 1,300 violations were documented over the six-month period. This “despite the fact that the checks were announced with a sign and the speed cameras received extensive coverage in the press.”
The next amendment of the police law will propose a bill to allow the use of the Monocam, with police stations across Rhineland-Palatinate set to be equipped with the technology from the Netherlands soon after.
The system, which was developed in the Netherlands and is already in use there, detects in real time when a car or lorry driver grabs their smartphone or tablet while driving. The cameras are mainly installed on bridges and capture images from above. The angle is critical for detecting the phone as soon as it reaches the height of the steering wheel. The AI in the system analyses the situation and automatically takes a photo. The images are then instantly transmitted to a computer and analysed by trained police officers.
Mobile phones are not allowed behind the wheel while driving. Talking on the phone is also only allowed via a hands-free system. However, many drivers talk on their phones behind their ears, type messages, or browse social media.
Mobile phone usage while driving is prohibited, and those caught in Germany face a fine of €100 and – in the case of German drivers – a point on the register in Flensburg. In Luxembourg, the fine is even steeper at €145.
Mobile phone use at the wheel is a massive contributor to car accidents. According to studies from across the world, distraction is among the leading causes of accidents (68%), next to alcohol and speed.
There are currently no plans to install mobile phone speed cameras in Luxembourg, the Ministry of Mobility recently said.
