HUNDREDS of AI-powered cameras have sprung up across the UK – designed to catch drivers speeding or committing other offences.
These advanced cameras can detect if motorists are using their mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts, and since their pilot launch in 2021, have caught 2,341 offenders.
AI speed cameras have sprung up across the country and have already caught thousands of drivers[/caption]
The new tech is capable of capturing pictures inside a motor and can catch drivers using their phones[/caption]
What’s more, some 3.3 million speeding fines were issued to UK drivers in 2024 – a concerning rise over the last three years[/caption]
It’s also seen a 14% surge in speeding fines over the last three years, while last year alone, some 3.3 million speeding fines were issued to UK drivers.
According to data collected by Confused.com, almost two in five drivers admit to having been caught speeding – with a third admitting to doing so twice.
CALCULATE THE COST
While many seem to accept the financial impact of a speeding fine, offenders rarely think of how it affects their car insurance, which, on average, increases by £139 as a result.
Curiously, few also realise that speeding fines are often based on your annual income.
Confused.com has created a speeding calculator that enables you to input your annual income, the speed at which you were caught, and the road’s speed limit to calculate the fine you are likely to incur.
For example, if a driver earning £40,000 a year is caught driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone, they could expect a fine of £576.92.
In recent years, the Department for Transport (DfT) has started to increase parameters and systems to improve road safety, including new speed cameras and changes to speed limits in residential areas.
But it’s AI that has been the biggest innovation in fighting driving offences, with cameras able to detect those not wearing a seatbelt or using a mobile phone behind the wheel.
The technology does this by taking full images inside a car to determine the driver’s appearance and other close-up details, while also confirming the make and model of the car.
Despite only being piloted on UK roads in 2021, 2,341 drivers have been caught by AI cameras to date.
Of the 35 police constabularies who responded, five currently have AI cameras in place, while another two are planning to roll them out soon.
A third of UK drivers believe the use of AI will make roads safer, while a similar number hope that a person is checking over what the new AI cameras record – out of concern the cameras might catch drivers incorrectly.
A smaller number, just one in five, think the use of AI cameras is an invasion of their privacy in their car.
However, one in ten have said they are less likely to use a mobile phone while driving now that they know they could be caught by an AI speed camera.
SPEED IS KING
When it comes to speeding, the Metropolitan Police constabulary caught the greatest number of drivers in the last year, followed by West Yorkshire and Devon & Cornwall.
In terms of why people speed, a third say they were unaware they were speeding in the first place.
A sizable 40% say it’s because they were running late or needed to get somewhere faster, while nearly half, at 46%, would drive over the speed limit if it was an emergency.
But worryingly, one in five, or 20%, would speed just to overtake another driver, and 11% admit they would speed if they thought there weren’t any cameras.
Rhydian Jones, a car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Our latest research found that over nine million drivers have been caught speeding in the last three years.
“That’s because the number of speeding fines in 2024 is 14% higher than in 2022.
“But speeding isn’t the only issue, as distractions like mobile phones cause dangerous driving too.
“That’s why the piloting of AI speed cameras is a step in the right direction to improve road safety.
“The technology can spot drivers and passengers not wearing a seatbelt or using their phone behind the wheel.
“The hope is that this will really help to crack down on drivers who risk the safety of themselves and other road users when behind the wheel.
“If you’re fined for speeding, the minimum cost is £100 and three points on your licence.
“But in some cases, the amount can depend on your annual income, which band your fine falls into, and how much faster than the limit you were driving.
“Using our speeding fine calculator will help you to work out how much you might owe if you are caught.”
