Kerala MVD Use Samsung Smartphone’s Zoom To Nab Escaping Bikers’ Number (Video)

The effective enforcement of traffic laws isn’t as simple as it sounds. People often tend to do crazy things to evade fines and punishments after breaking laws. Making superfast flees, attempting reckless escapades, hiding numberplates etc are all common on Indian roads. Some of these escape attempts often end badly and cause loss of life or property. The Motor Vehicle Department of Kerala now uses high-definition smartphone cameras to identify violators and issue challans. A video shared on Reddit shows an officer using a Samsung smartphone camera to pinpoint and fine offenders.

Kerala Police using Samsung phone camera to identify violators
byu/Rangannan1 inKerala

The video starts by showing a Royal Enfield motorcycle (Bullet) passing by, with two people on, and just the rider wearing a helmet. Riding with a pillion who is not using a helmet is illegal. Ideally, both the rider and the pillion should be geared. They should at least be wearing a helmet each.

Failing to do this will attract a fine of Rs 1000 in Kerala. There are states with lower and higher fines as well. For example, the same offence in Karnataka will get you a fine of just 500 rupees.

Nobody likes paying fines and penalties. Thus, people tend to flee when they see cops around, and many a time, they try to hide the number plate. Vehicle numbers and registration plates are the only ways that MVD can use to track the owner and issue challans.

Coming back to this incident, the pillion sees the cops and senses the oncoming fine. He tries to play it clever by leaning back and hiding the number plate. He must have seen the cop trying to capture the registration plate with his smartphone. What he did not know, however, was which phone the cop was using…

The cop ( read MVD official) is seen using what looks like a Samsung S-series flagship smartphone. The motorcycle makes a quick flee and within the blink of an eye, the officer zooms in and clicks the number plate. Soon he checks out if the number plate is legible in the photograph. High-end smartphones have good sensors, and also offer high zooming capacities. These would have allowed the cop here to get a proper shot.

To the surprise of his entire team, the number is clear and he reads it loud. Many of his colleagues are surprised by the incident. A challan is then issued based on the number captured on camera.

It is not the first time cops have used mobile phones to film violations. However, the phones used in most cases are normal, and the cameras in them might have limitations in capturing fast-moving objects with clarity. This often proves to be of help to the violators. Getting the same done with high-end smartphones, on the other hand, ensures that the number plates are properly filmed and readable.

It, however, remains to be seen if the phone being used belonged to the person using it or was a unit issued by the MVD. Considering the prospects of the upgrade, it makes sense to expect the government to have issued the Samsung smartphone. Will these smartphones put an end to traffic violations or not is a different question, but these would definitely increase the efficiency of law enforcement.

If found effective, this system could be implemented in other states as well. Many Indian states currently face similar crisis and violations from motorists and proper law enforcement would improve road safety at large.