New mobile phone detection signs trialled in Norfolk

20 July 2018

Story from Fleet News

Norfolk County Council is trialling road signs that detect when drivers are using a mobile phone.

The council’s road safety team has been working in partnership with Westcotec, a local company, to develop and deploy the new mobile phone detection system for use on the county’s roads. 

Margaret Dewsbury, chairman of the communities committee at Norfolk County Council, said: “Using a mobile phone whilst driving is an enormous distraction and apart from being illegal puts the lives of the driver, passengers and pedestrians at risk.  We are delighted to have been able to partner with Westcotec to trial the new technology across Norfolk.”

Using the latest technology, the unit is able to identify what type of signal is being transmitted or received by the handset and whether it is being used via the vehicle’s Bluetooth system. 

When the relevant signal is detected indicating that a mobile phone is being used within the vehicle (not via Bluetooth), the road sign is activated as the vehicle passes, giving a specific flashing visual message that will prompt a driver to stop using their phone.

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