AI road safety cameras reduce dangerous driving in Devon and Cornwall

Artificial intelligence cameras designed to detect mobile phone and seatbelt offences are having a measurable impact on driver behaviour in Devon and Cornwall, according to new figures.
The Acusensus ‘Heads-Up’ cameras, which have been trialled across both counties for the past three years with support from Devon & Cornwall Police and the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, have identified more than 10,000 offences in the past year.
The system uses high-speed front-facing and overhead cameras to capture images of vehicles. AI technology highlights potential offences, which are then verified by at least two human reviewers before a warning letter or notice of intended prosecution is issued.
Recent data shows the cameras are changing behaviour. At three locations monitored during August 2024, detections of seatbelt offences fell by 50% while mobile phone offences dropped by 33% across the course of the month.
Adrian Leisk, Devon & Cornwall Police’s Head of Road Safety, said longer-term trends were also encouraging.
He said: “We used the cameras at the same location on the A38 at Landrake during 2023, 2024 and 2025. The year-on-year data shows a prolonged and significant reduction in both seatbelt and mobile phone offences, which is really encouraging.
“It’s important to say that the vast majority of motorists are complying with the rules – in fact, less than 1% of the vehicles we monitored using the Acusensus cameras were detected as committing offences.
“However, the dangers associated with these offences are well documented. Around a third of all fatal collisions nationally involve someone who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt – and not wearing one means you are twice as likely to die in the event of a serious collision.
“Using a mobile phone behind the wheel also significantly increases your chances of being involved in a collision, with the distraction impairing both your judgment and reaction times.
“The Vision Zero South West partnership remains committed in the use of technology to help address behavioural issues that lead to road traffic collisions. This is about keeping all road users in Devon and Cornwall safe and I’m delighted to see these cameras having a positive impact.”
Geoff Collins, General Manager of Acusensus UK, said the results prove the technology is tackling unsafe driving.
“This long-term operational project has proved that not only can we show the size of the problem, but we can effectively deal with it too. We are actively making the roads safer, as shown by the reduction of risky behaviours that we see.
“We believe the vast majority of road users are supportive of this work. It’s not acceptable that the poor behaviours of a small minority put others at risk.”
The positive trend comes as the region continues to record falling casualty figures. The number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Devon and Cornwall’s roads dropped from 790 in 2022 to 754 in 2023, and to 678 in 2024 – the lowest in recent years.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Alison Hernandez – who also chairs the Vision Zero South West partnership – said there is still more work to do.
“While these figures are certainly going in the right direction, there is a lot more work to be done. These aren’t just numbers, these are lives turned upside down by unimaginable tragedy and trauma.
“Every member of the Vision Zero South West partnership has committed to halving the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 2030 – and eventually, to zero.
“We will continue to work hard, using innovation and collaboration as we strive to achieve this ambitious target. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.”