AI road cameras in Scotland: what fleet operators should remind drivers now

AI camera trials in Scotland are a useful reminder that driver behaviour is becoming easier to spot and harder to explain away. For operators, the issue isn't just whether a fine is issued today. It's whether drivers understand the rules on phones, seatbelts and attention at the wheel before the next claim, stop or complaint.

The current Scottish trial is monitoring mobile phone use and seatbelt wearing across a number of road locations. Reports say the cameras use artificial intelligence to identify possible offences, with human review used before any action is considered. The trial is gathering evidence rather than issuing fines in Scotland at this stage.

That distinction matters, but it doesn't make the issue less relevant. In England, phone use while driving can already mean a £200 penalty and six penalty points. For vocational drivers, repeated poor behaviour can also affect employment, operator reputation and the wider risk picture seen by insurers.

 

What this means for operators

Commercial vehicle operators rely on drivers making safe decisions without constant supervision. The practical knock-on is that technology is narrowing the gap between what happens in the cab and what can later be evidenced.

If a driver is holding a phone, not wearing a seatbelt or visibly distracted, that may become part of the story after a collision. It can affect liability arguments, internal investigations and how seriously customers view the business.

For haulage and courier firms, this is also a driver management issue. A mobile phone policy sitting in a handbook is not enough if drivers are still using phones at junctions, while queuing, or when using sat nav apps by hand.

The same applies to seatbelts. A driver may think a short yard-to-road movement or local drop does not matter. In practice, the risk often appears during routine journeys, not unusual ones.

 

Where problems usually appear

When insurance cover is tested, the problem is rarely one rule in isolation. It is usually a chain of weak controls.

A driver may be under time pressure. A dispatcher may be calling repeatedly. A customer may be sending delivery instructions by message. The driver then touches the phone while moving, and the business only reviews the policy after something goes wrong.

There can also be confusion about hands-free use. Hands-free equipment may be lawful in some circumstances, but that does not make every use safe. If the call distracts the driver, the risk remains.

Operators should also think about agency drivers and temporary staff. They may not have absorbed the same standards as the core team, especially if induction is rushed.

As a specialist transport insurance broker, we often see that the strongest fleets are not the ones with the thickest paperwork. They are the ones that repeat simple rules clearly and check that drivers follow them.

 

What to check now

• Review your mobile phone policy. Make sure it covers handheld use, messaging, apps, photos, depot calls and customer contact.
• Make the seatbelt rule plain. Drivers should know that short journeys and familiar roads are not exceptions.
• Check how dispatchers contact drivers. If office habits encourage drivers to answer while moving, the policy will not work in practice.
• Include agency and casual drivers. Keep induction short, direct and recorded.
• Use incidents and near misses as training points. A warning, complaint or camera notice should trigger a management conversation.
• Keep evidence of driver briefings. Signed records, toolbox talks and telematics notes can help show active management.

 

Talk to Ratcliffes

If driver behaviour, camera enforcement or claims trends are changing how your fleet risk is viewed, call Ratcliffes on 01242 544544 to discuss your transport insurance. We can help you review whether your cover and risk information still match how your vehicles are being used.

 

Sources

• The Scottish Sun, report on AI camera trials monitoring mobile phone use and seatbelt wearing in Scotland, June 2026.