Enlarge image
Chatting while driving can lead to serious accidents
Photo: Bernard Bodo / iStockphoto / Getty Images
Anyone who picks up their cell phone or tablet while driving can in future be caught with a new camera system.
Interior Minister Roger Lewentz (SPD) announced on Thursday in Mainz that the pilot project, which is unique in Germany, for monitoring distraction violations through mobile phone use will begin in Rhineland-Palatinate in June.
The Dutch police developed the system called Monocam together with the University of Utrecht and are already using 20 devices, as reported by Marcel Masselink from the Netherlands.
About half to one percent of all drivers would be convicted.
In Mainz there were around 20 car and truck drivers per hour during a first test in heavy traffic on Thursday, despite a sign.
Camera detects violations of hand posture
The camera triggers in a live stream when a mobile phone and a corresponding hand position are detected.
Trained police officers then assess the violation immediately on site.
In Germany, using a mobile phone while driving is punishable by a fine of 100 euros and a point in Flensburg.
The aim of the project is to prevent accidents and further reduce the number of road deaths and injuries, said Lewentz.
Monocam will initially be tested for three months at the police headquarters in Trier and then for three months at the police headquarters in Mainz.
The results would be made available to the conference of interior ministers, said Lewentz.
According to Section 23a of the Road Traffic Act, mobile phones, tablets and other electronic devices may not be used while driving - unless the vehicle has a hands-free system or reading functions.
Many drivers still use their mobile phones to their ears or type short messages while driving.
Researchers reported years ago in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that handling mobile phones while driving makes a massive contribution to car accidents.
In addition to alcohol and disregard of traffic rules, distraction is the most common cause of accidents at 68 percent.
Because the number of unreported violations is very large, the police are now considering being able to explicitly state "distraction" as the cause of the accident in the future - as in other cases, for example, insufficient distance or failure to give way.
The problem so far: In order to convict cell phone offenders, it usually takes witnesses.
This could now be solved by the new monitoring system.
sug/dpa