AI Cameras in Kerala Significantly Reduce Daily Traffic Violations and Road Accidents
According to Kerala's Transport Minister Antony Raju, the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) cameras has led to a significant decrease in both traffic violations and road accident fatalities. These cameras have even captured instances of MPs and MLAs breaking traffic rules. Raju stated that prior to the installation of AI cameras, the state witnessed over 4.5 lakh traffic violations daily. However, the number has now reduced to approximately 44,000 violations per day.
"The number of traffic violations caught by the AI cameras between June 5 to September 30 was 62,67,353," he said.
Of these the most violations were of not wearing helmets by riders and pillion-riders and not wearing seat belts by vehicle drivers and front seat passengers.
The deaths due to road accidents were 1,320 between June 2022 to September 2022 and the same dropped to 1,007 during the same period this year after installation of the AI cameras, he said while speaking to reporters here.
The minister said that recently the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan had alleged that figures of traffic violations, road accidents and deaths given to the court and those submitted in the Assembly were different.
Raju contended that the LoP's claims were wrong and said the figures submitted before the court on September 6 were about traffic violations, road accidents and deaths till September 5.
"The figures of the same submitted by me before the assembly on September 12 were the numbers upto September 11 and all these can be verified against the police records," he said.
The minister demanded that the LoP withdraw his statement and apologise to him.
While giving details of the traffic violations, Raju said that not just the common folk, even VIP vehicles have been caught on AI cameras violating rules between June and September this year.
He said that 56 violations by vehicles of MPs and MLAs were caught on AI cameras between June 5 and September 30 this year.
Raju said that between June 5 and September 30 this year, challans for over Rs 102 crore were prepared and of them fines of over Rs 14 crore have been collected.
Another development he announced was the strict implementation, from November 1 onwards, of wearing of seat belts by drivers and front seat passengers of all heavy vehicles in the state, including the buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
Raju said that though it was necessary under the law for drivers and front seat passengers of heavy vehicles to wear seat belts, the same was not being strictly enforced till now.
However, from November 1, the situation would change and the rule would be strictly implemented and would also be applicable on heavy vehicles from other states that are running on Kerala roads, the minister said.
