In-car cameras prompt more motorists to report offences
15 Sep 2013|3,933 views
With more motorists installing surveillance cameras in their vehicles, some have taken to playing traffic vigilantes when they capture footage of others breaking the rules, reported The Sunday Times.
"It's like a neighbourhood watch group, except it's on the road," said Mr. Jonathan Thong, 45, who has submitted 12 such videos to the Traffic Police in the past year.
The project manager and father of two believes he is helping to promote road safety. He added that if errant drivers know their behaviour might be recorded and reported to the authorities, they may be encouraged to be more courteous on the road.
The videos he sent to the Traffic Police were taken on different occasions and included incidents of motorists who made illegal turns, crossed double white lines and stopped in yellow boxes.
In the first half of this year, there were 171,211 traffic violations recorded compared with 154,049 in the same period last year.
Traffic Police statistics show such violations have been rising since 2010, with 330,909 recorded last year, up from 316,214 in 2011 and 304,472 in 2010.
However, lawyer Chia Boon Teck warned that vigilantes should not think that it takes only an email for police to prosecute another road user. "As the complainant, the vigilante must testify in court if the 'offender' disputes the video footage. As a witness in court, the vigilante's identity and particulars will be known to the 'offender'. The vigilante should not think that he can remain anonymous in this whole process," explained Mr. Chia.
To encourage more motorists to install such cameras, the Traffic Police and the General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) are studying the possibility of a motor insurance premium discount for those with the devices in their vehicles.
With more motorists installing surveillance cameras in their vehicles, some have taken to playing traffic vigilantes when they capture footage of others breaking the rules, reported The Sunday Times.
"It's like a neighbourhood watch group, except it's on the road," said Mr. Jonathan Thong, 45, who has submitted 12 such videos to the Traffic Police in the past year.
The project manager and father of two believes he is helping to promote road safety. He added that if errant drivers know their behaviour might be recorded and reported to the authorities, they may be encouraged to be more courteous on the road.
The videos he sent to the Traffic Police were taken on different occasions and included incidents of motorists who made illegal turns, crossed double white lines and stopped in yellow boxes.
In the first half of this year, there were 171,211 traffic violations recorded compared with 154,049 in the same period last year.
Traffic Police statistics show such violations have been rising since 2010, with 330,909 recorded last year, up from 316,214 in 2011 and 304,472 in 2010.
However, lawyer Chia Boon Teck warned that vigilantes should not think that it takes only an email for police to prosecute another road user. "As the complainant, the vigilante must testify in court if the 'offender' disputes the video footage. As a witness in court, the vigilante's identity and particulars will be known to the 'offender'. The vigilante should not think that he can remain anonymous in this whole process," explained Mr. Chia.
To encourage more motorists to install such cameras, the Traffic Police and the General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) are studying the possibility of a motor insurance premium discount for those with the devices in their vehicles.
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