Drivers caught speeding by an ANPR camera in Belgium can also be fined for using a mobile phone at the wheel if the behaviour is visible in the image, the justice minister and federal police have confirmed.
Federal police said this is only possible where a speeding offence or a red-light violation has first been recorded.
After that, and depending on agreements with the local public prosecutor’s office, staff at regional processing centres manually review the images to check whether phone use can also be identified.
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The issue was recently considered by Belgium’s Court of Cassation, which was asked whether police could formally establish mobile phone use on the basis of ANPR camera images.
A motorist’s lawyer had argued that they could not, because automatic camera systems are authorised to detect only a limited list of offences.
The court ruled, however, that once an initial offence from that list has been established, other offences may also be recorded afterwards.
Because the images are still checked manually, Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin intend to introduce the Dutch system in Belgium.
In the Netherlands, authorities use a dedicated system combining cameras and artificial intelligence to detect mobile phone use while driving.
The fine for using a mobile phone at the wheel in Belgium is just over €200.
