Highways
England is said to be trialling cameras that look down from above to spy on car
occupants, on the pretext of detecting mobile phone use. The ABD, whilst
supporting the need to curb hand held phone use, calls for an immediate review
of this practice on privacy grounds.
ABD Spokesman Nigel Humphries explains:
“From the pictures shown in the Daily Mail report (Reference 1 below), it
appears the cameras already on trial look directly down into the cockpit with a
clear view of both drivers’ and passengers’ crotches. Not everybody is
careful about the standard of their attire or positioning of their hands below
the dashboard when travelling, and why should they be? They don’t expect
a camera to be pointing at their nether regions in the privacy of their car and
even children will be filmed. There is a need to crack down on hand held
phone use but this is plain wrong. We question whether the requirements for
Surveillance Cameras that monitor public areas have been met (See Reference 2).
Will the photographic evidence be automatically sent with the Intended Notice
of Prosecution (NIP)?
Press Release: New Threat to Privacy from Overhead Cameras
How
Highways England chiefs can think this is acceptable beggars belief.
(1) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7637497/Now-offence-TOUCH-phone-driving.html
(2) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surveillance-camera-code-of-practice
