Editorial: Cams: Safe drivers have nothing to fear

A breach of privacy or just a new new way to catch traffic offenders?

That's the question some may be asking regarding the use by police of a high-powered camera to covertly take photos of people in their cars.

Officers in the Western Bay of Plenty are targeting offences and wrongdoing such as drivers using cellphones, taking their hands off the wheel and not wearing seatbelts. They will use the photographs to pull over offenders or in follow-up inquiries.

Rotorua police are watching how it goes with interest, with a view to possibly introducing the same campaign locally.

People's first instinct may be that it is a breach of privacy and a bit sneaky. They may think they should be able to expect to drive on the roads without being photographed by police trying to catch them out. But the idea has merit.

For years we've had security cameras in city streets, shops, malls and on our main roads, recording our movements. They have become part of everyday life and most of us don't even notice them.

Police have used speed cameras to great effect since the 1990s and many argue we could do with more of them, given the terrible consequences of speed on our roads.

The latest police tactic has, predictably, concerned civil libertarians, who believe there should have been more public consultation. But everyone knows it is illegal to use cellphones in cars, that it's dangerous to take hands off the wheel or eat while driving.

These might be considered minor transgressions by many people but they can be every bit as dangerous as speeding.

Good on the police for coming up with new tactics to make our roads safer. Safe and law-abiding drivers have nothing to fear.