Busted: Spy camera catches drivers texting, reading, taking drugs

SPY camera trials on Australian roads have busted drivers who can be seen illegally texting, reading books, putting on make-up and even taking drugs.

SPY cameras on trial on Australian roads have captured images of drivers illegally texting, putting on make-up, reading books and even using illegal drugs.

The company conducting the tests, One Task, captured on its cameras one man inhaling nitrous oxide (using “nangs” or whipped cream canisters) while driving down a highway at 100km/h.

Another was photographed using both hands to text, women used their rear vision mirror to apply make-up and others could be seen reading book, documents and newspapers, Fairfax News reported.

Surveillance of drivers in capital cities showed “endemic” use of mobile phones.

Among those drivers, five to seven per cent were texting while driving at high speed.

This man is driving with one hand and enjoying a meal with the other while motoring along a road at high speed.

One Task says drivers using mobile ones like this one (above) are endemic on the roads of Australian cities. Picture: One Task.

Not novel, but this driver has no qualms about reading a book he obviously can’t put down. Picture: A Current Affair.

Almost the same percentage of P-platers similarly offended.

One Task director Alex McCredie told the Sydney Morning Herald that behaviour distracting from the task of driving was varied.

But use of mobile phones while behind the wheel eclipsed all other aberrant behaviour and seemed to be “an obsession today”, Mr McCredie said.

“They’re new and society hasn’t quite figured out how to interact with phones and what place they should have in our lives.

One Task is among several companies keen to win the tender to supply the NSW Government with a camera surveillance system to detect and fine drivers texting or otherwise breaking the law.

Mobile in his hand, this driver is distracted by what’s going on his screen while driving on the road.

It’s me time behind the wheel for this woman applying make-up while driving in traffic. Picture: A Current Affair.