State government to roll out phone awareness monitoring signs

Motorists will be shamed into putting their mobile phones down by new monitoring signs that flash warnings to drivers who are detected breaking the rules – similar to the Slow for Sam signs.

Motorists will be shamed into putting down their mobile phones by new monitoring signs that will flash warnings to drivers who are detected breaking the rules.

The state government will kick off a six month trial of the technology in the first half of next year in a bid to discourage bad behaving drivers from picking up their phones.

It comes after new hi-tech mobile detection cameras issued fines to more than 100,000 drivers in their first year of operation on Queensland roads.

The phone awareness monitors – dubbed PAMs – will act in a similar way to the Slow for SAM (speed awareness monitor) signs, by flashing warnings to drivers who do the wrong thing.

The new PAM signs will be similar to the Slow for SAM signs. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said the technology was about encouraging road users to demonstrate safe driving, rather than taking an enforcement approach.

“Phone awareness monitors are a portable roadside solution that aim to detect unsafe device use in approaching vehicles before triggering a message in real-time on a display board, prompting drivers to put their phones down,” she said.

“This approach follows similar behavioural responses inspired by Vehicle Activated Signs, such as Speed Awareness Monitors (SAMs), which are currently used on the network to nudge drivers when they are speeding.

“The success of SAMs in encouraging drivers to slow down shows promise in using this approach to tackle mobile phone distraction and minimise driver distraction.”

The state government had flagged the introduction of phone awareness monitors in its three year road safety action plan for 2022 through to 2024.

More than 100,000 drivers have been caught using their mobile phone since new cameras were rolled out last year.

The government revealed earlier this month that a massive 119,862 drivers were caught out using their mobile phone on new covert detection cameras in the past year.

And the same cameras also nabbed 52,542 drivers or front-seat passengers who were not wearing a seatbelt.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the number of mobile phone offences was now on the decline.

“And it’s certainly been a better second half of the year, than the first,” Mr Bailey said.

As of December 18, there had been 285 deaths on Queensland roads throughout the year – the highest number of fatalities since 2009.