A new hi-tech camera installed on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge has captured one driver every 30 seconds using their mobile phone while driving along busy six-lane highway.
With the ability to zoom in on drivers in passing traffic the camera was mounted to the bridge by technology firm One Task in an investigation with The Daily Telegraph.
In a six-hour period from 8am to 2pm on December 12, a total of 743 motorists driving along three southbound lanes of the Bradfield Highway were snapped using their mobiles.
A new hi-tech camera installed in Sydney caught drivers using their cellphones
In a six-hour period on December 12 a total of 743 motorists were caught out
Out of the 17,543 cars that passed by, data revealed more than four percent or one-in-25 are ignoring strict laws preventing the use of mobile phones while driving.
The statistics follow a string of tragedies on NSW roads after 29 people lost their lives between December 15 and January 2, almost twice as many as the same holiday period the year before.
Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon says the risk of a serious accident is more likely when drivers are using their cellphones.
NSW Police charged about 39,000 people in 2016 for driving and using mobiles
‘An analysis by the Centre for Road Safety shows that having a mobile phone offence doubles a person’s risks of being killed or injured in a crash compared to someone with no history,’ he said.
‘It’s an even bigger problem than the stats show as we know that crashes involving phones are underreported due to the difficulty of obtaining evidence at crash scenes.’
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Around 39,000 people were charged by NSW Police in 2016 for using their cellular device, totaling about 106 per day.
Despite the high number of people, One Task project manager Alex McCredie said it was difficult for officers to detect sneaky drivers.
Footage of passing traffic from Mr McCredie’s company’s cameras uses a computer to then identify guilty drivers.
‘Although it is groundbreaking research, it really only confirms what everyone knows, which is that texting while driving is out of control and as a society we need the government to take action,’ Mr McCredie said.
Data from One Task will be presented to NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey and road safety officials while cameras are trialed in Victoria.
Out of 17,543 cars data revealed more than four percent were ignoring the law