Mobile Phone Driving Device

The desire to find technological solutions for law enforcement issues is an endless topic of fascination for me.  I found this interesting example the other day whilst perusing twitter.  Norfolk County Council plan to use a ‘Mobile Phone Detection System’ which will detect whether a vehicle has a mobile telephone in it that is currently being operated and will signal a sign to light up.

Yes you read that right that is the extent of the technological development, it will detect whether a vehicle has an active mobile phone in it.  It won’t detect whether the driver is using the mobile phone, it could be the passenger. 

It doesn't say in the report how or what triggers the sensor, whether it is use of the mobile phone for calls and texts or whether data usage also triggers the device.  Presumably it will detect data use otherwise it seems outdated since use of facebook, twitter or whatsapp may not trigger the device unless data use was also detected.  This would be a clear problem for the device since such use is more common than actually talking on the phone behind the wheel.  If it does detect data use then presumably it will also detect back ground data usage on running apps or service updates.  Furthermore it doesn't make clear whether the data use has to be outgoing or in-going, for example will receiving a call or text set off the device regardless of whether answered or not?

Hopefully these questions were asked by the council before committing to purchase.  What is clear from the report is that the council and police force are completely unconcerned about false positives: (e.g. receiving a call and not answering, or passenger using a phone).

‘The system can't detect whether it’s a passenger using a phone in a vehicle or whether a hands-free device is being used. But of course, those people don't need to be worried if they get a flash from the sign’

One has to ask what on earth is being signaled by the second sentence in this quote, worried about what? Clearly it’s not an enforcement tool so there is no danger of official action here, all that happens is a no mobile use sign will be displayed. 

According to the head of Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit:

Driving while using a mobile phone is dangerous because it distracts your attention from the road.

Quite how a flashing illuminated sign helps refocus is not quite clear, I could see how the sign could quite easily distract a driver particularly when it gives a false positive (flashing sign but no mobile phone use, e.g. an incoming call or passenger call).  Here it seems it would be quite distracting to have to wonder why I have been given a signal when I am not using my phone.  If it detects data use as well then the possibility for more confusion arises as we wonder why on earth the sign has been illuminated. 

It’s also worth thinking about who this sign is ultimately aimed at, it seems it is aimed at those drivers who use their mobile phone and are unaware that it is an offence to do so.  Now to me that seems a very small (very very small) number of drivers.  Those who use their phone whilst driving regardless of the law are unlikely to be affected.

I should point out that I am not against similar signs that highlight the speed limit (I believe it is a similar company to the most common illuminated speed sign company).  With speed limit enforcement the law is not fixed, it is variable depending upon the portion of the road you are travelling on, so a timely reminder of the speed limit could act to help slow us down to the appropriate limit.  Mobile phone use is completely different it is a complete offence regardless of the road you are on (public).

It reminds me somewhat of the don’t drink and drive signs on the motorway, of course no-one should and those that need telling are unlikely to respond to a road side sign.  Now with drink driving again there is an element of public ignorance about how the body processes alcohol and so there is an educational message to be made about morning after (even afternoon after) sobriety.  But with mobile phone use I can’t see the issue.

So I’m left with the feeling that at this point without more knowledge about the actual workings of the system it all seems like a bit of a waste gimmick.  I’d love to know the cost of the system. It seems designed as a system to target those who won’t care or don’t care and may cause more distraction than it is worth.