A UK-first trial of new safety technology has spotted drivers holding mobile phones or driving without seatbelts every six minutes during a trial in Warwickshire.

A new van equipped with trial AI (artificial intelligence) detection equipment that can catch drivers holding a mobile phone at the wheel and people failing to wear a seatbelt is being used in partnership with Warwickshire Police across the region.

The 'sensor test vehicle' has been trialled in recent weeks on England's motorways and major A-roads as part of a research project carried out alongside Warwickshire Police.

So far over 122,000 vehicles have been checked on the M40 and A46 as part of the trial, over a period of 64 hours.

This technology has spotted 152 mobile phone being used while driving and has identified 512 drivers without a seat belt.

Of the 664 offences detected, it is estimated that 530 (79.81 per cent) were committed by people between the ages of 30 and 49, while 627 (94.42 per cent) of those caught are male.

The findings come just a week after it was announced that the proportion of car occupants killed in crashes who were not wearing a seatbelt has reached the highest level on record.

Some 30 per cent of people killed in cars on Britain's roads last year were not wearing a seatbelt, according to data published by the Department for Transport (DfT).

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National Highways launched the van alongside consultants AECOM as part of a continuing campaign to promote safe driving and reduce instances of risky behaviours on England's busiest roads.

Inspector Jem Mountford of Warwickshire Police said: "Whilst we prefer to educate drivers and passengers of cars, vans, HGVs and other vehicles first, the new van is a fantastic tool to support officers in changing driver behaviour and enforcing the legislation for those reluctant to comply.

"Over 216 drivers have received Notices of Intended Prosecution and we have been shocked at what we have seen during the trial.

"We have seen one driver with his phone to his ear and his other hand to his face so none on the steering wheel, and two separate drivers with no seatbelts on who were also using handheld phones.

"As well as fines, points and their job, drivers risk their own safety, the safety of passengers – often young children and the safety of everyone else using the road around them. That is not acceptable and we will continue our proactive operations to address these dangerous behaviours."

The trial of the vehicle is still taking in place in Warwickshire throughout October.

Following the end of this trial, National Highways and AECOM will analyse results fully before a decision will be taken on the vehicle's possible future deployment on the strategic road network.