BENGALURU: Over 100 traffic violations were recorded every hour on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway. In the last 28 days, a total of 74,915 traffic violations were captured by 22 cameras installed on both sides of the 118-km stretch. The highest number of violations were for drivers and co-passengers not wearing seat belts, accounting for 57,057 cases, followed by 10,945 cases of overspeeding, 6,046 cases of lane violations, and 494 cases for using mobile phones while driving.
Owing to an increase in accidents and to curb traffic violations on NH-275, the police installed AI-based Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at six spots in each direction. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also installed video cameras at five other spots in each direction and set a speed limit of 100 kmph. These high-resolution cameras can capture traffic violations.
Despite the cameras, commuters on the highway continue to break rules and cross the speed limit, leading to accidents.
Additional Director General of Police (Traffic & Road Safety) Alok Kumar said the recording of over 74,000 offenses in just 28 days shows negligence on the part of people towards road safety, and for their own and others’ lives, while adding that there is a slight decline in accident rates on the highway.
Car drivers were the highest traffic violators for not wearing seat belts, overspeeding, and lane violations, followed by heavy goods vehicles, including KSRTC and private buses. All offenders will be issued notices. The cameras also capture nighttime violations, such as drivers not wearing seat belts.
In a few days, real-time notifications will be sent to drivers’ phones after their violations, making them aware of the infractions, Kumar added. He expressed that fines should be immediately deducted through FASTag account of the violators as their vehicles exit at tolls. “This mechanism may reduce traffic rule violations on the highways,” the ADGP opined.
