UK rolls out AI traffic cameras as crash‑for‑cash scams cost £25 million

Transport Scotland is testing AI‑enabled cameras on Edinburgh’s Calder Road and Silverknowes Parkway, spending £350,000 to detect drivers using smartphones or not wearing seatbelts. Images captured may be forwarded to Police Scotland for serious offences, prompting privacy concerns from groups such as Big Brother Watch.

Separately, police and insurance data show staged “crash‑for‑cash” collisions have cost more than £25 million over the past five years. Fraudsters, often on mopeds, deliberately cause accidents to claim insurance payouts, leaving victims with lost no‑claims bonuses and possible injuries. Authorities urge motorists to stay vigilant, keep safe distances, and consider dash‑cams to deter such scams.