AI-powered cameras to monitor Kerala roads from Thursday: Refresh your road rules awareness
Thiruvananthapuram: Starting Thursday (April 20), newly installed surveillance cameras on the Kerala roads will start functioning. The Motor Vehicles Department has installed 726 state-of-the-art cameras on roads to monitor traffic and automatically detect violations. The goal is to reduce the average of 12-14 lives lost on roads every day.
To avoid fines, motorists are encouraged to follow regulations.
Some of the often neglected rules include:
• Don’t cross continuous white and yellow lines in the middle of the road
• Consider double yellow lines as dividers
• Overtake only where there are intermittent white lines
• No parking on the left side where there is a yellow line on the left side
Speed limit of different vehicles (in kms per hour)
Two-wheelers
70 on four-lane National Highways
60 on National Highways with two lanes
50 on State Highways and other roads
Cars
90 on four-lane National Highways with dividers
85 on two-lane National Highways
80 on State Highways
70 on other roads
50 in the city limits of Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode
45 on ghat roads
30 near schools
Bus
70 on four-lane National Highways
65 on State and National Highways
60 on other roads
40 in cities and ghat roads
30 near schools
Lorries
65 on National Highways
40 in cities
30 near schools
40 on ghat roads
60 on other roads
Continuous white lines are placed in areas where overtaking can be dangerous. Parking is only allowed in permitted areas, and no parking is allowed on bends, climbs, descents, narrow roads, and bridges.
Violations will result in fines, ranging from 250 to 5,000 rupees. The Department of Motor Vehicles will notify violators via mobile phone and post. Those who fail to pay the fine within the specified time will be blacklisted and the case will be transferred to the virtual court.
Surveillance cameras are installed in busy areas and danger zones. They can capture the vehicle number and interior through the front glass. The control room will work round the clock to catch violations.
Even if the driver slows down upon seeing a camera, if the vehicle crosses the next checkpoint before the permitted time (calculated based on the speed limit), a fine will be imposed. This happens because the cameras are interconnected.
Unlike popular belief, motorists caught violating the rules will be penalised regardless of whether or not they paid another fine that day.
MVD inspections often neglect whether the pillion rider of the bike wears a helmet. However, a helmet is mandatory for both riders and AI cameras will not exempt them.