New UK speed cameras to identify drivers

Newswheel staff :: 25 May 2006

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An end to fobbing off the Filth?

Passing off speeding points. It’s a national pastime and hardly a surprise given the current volume of UK speed camera offences (approximately 2 million for both 2004 and 2005). But a new generation of speed cameras designed to take images of the driver’s face is being trialled in the UK. No more fobbing off the Filth with foreign friends, then?

The Times newspaper’s take on the new camera installation

The new technology has been developed by Gatso and the first units have been installed as part of a trial scheme in Essex. The so-called Super Gatso installation uses a pair of cameras to first capture a conventional rear view image of speeding vehicles, followed by an infra red image of the driver’s face. According to the Times newspaper, the new cameras are designed to combat the growing trend for offenders to take advantage of the fact that most current cameras do not identify the driver of the vehicle. This allows offences to be passed off to third parties, willing or otherwise. It’s estimated that there are currently 160,000 drivers in the UK with nine points on their driving licenses. Just one more offence away from a ban, such drivers have a significant incentive to pass on points to friends, family or even students looking to make a fast buck.

The new cameras are expected to be rolled at various London locations, including Lower Thames Street. Derbyshire camera partnership is also reported to be considering the Super Gatso installations.

In the meantime, here’s Newswheel’s top five list of Filth-fobbing speed camera scams:

1.    Scanning the local newspaper and passing off offences to recently deceased individuals who were alive at the time of the offence.
2.    Nominating a foreign national and providing an address in a country with which the UK has no diplomatic relations.
3.    Forking over £500 to a destitute student to take the rap.
4.    Begging Aunty Mildred to soak up the three points. After all, she doesn’t even own a car anymore…
5.    Registering your car to a postal box and banking on the fact that Plod lacks the resources or willpower to track you down.

And finally…
Here’s an interesting graph from the Times that demonstrates how little effect speed cameras appear to have had on road deaths. Since the introduction of cameras in the early 90s, the trend towards declining road deaths has actually slowed. Food for thought…

Linkage:
The Times Online