Thiruvananthapuram: The Transport Department has claimed that with 726 AI (artificial intelligence) cameras being installed across the state, traffic violations in Kerala have been reduced by half.

As per the department's estimate, before the Safe Kerala project came into effect, the average number of traffic violations per day was 4.5 lakh. Now, it has come down to 2.1 lakh.

The department's report has been handed over to Transport Minister Antony Raju.

Ever since the AI cameras became operational, the number of riders wearing helmets has increased, claims the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD).

"People travelling in triples on two-wheelers has decreased. More parents are willing to get helmets for their children," said an official with the MVD.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Safe Kerala project, which saw 726 AI-enabled cameras being installed across the state to capture traffic violations, on April 20.

Though violations have been detected, the MVD has not yet started collecting fines from offenders.

It had been announced earlier that time would be given till May 19 to spread awareness about the project and the consequences of violating traffic rules. Till then, it was decided that only challans would be issued without penalty to violators. However, challans are yet to be issued as well.

Officials with the MVD said sending challans without penalty could lead to legal issues. The department is contemplating sending warning messages to the violators' phones instead of a challan.

The state had decided to request the Centre to allow children to travel with their parents on two-wheelers. A meeting of officials has been called on May 10 to discuss the matter.

Legal experts, however, have pointed out there is no possibility of a relaxation being made only for Kerala in the current legal framework.

Besides the AI-enabled cameras, 85 enforcement squads have been deployed under the Safe Kerala scheme to detect violations.

Of the 726 cameras that have been installed by the MVD, eight detect speeding. Out of those, four are positioned in MVD vehicles and four in various junctions.

The remaining cameras record violations such as not wearing a helmet or seat belt, using mobile phones while driving, parking in the wrong direction, and running red lights.

The MVD isn't installing more speed-detecting cameras as the police department is already in charge of it.

On average, 4,000 people die in road accidents in Kerala every year. Over 35,000 people suffer accident-related injuries in a year. Two-wheeler riders account for the majority of accident deaths in the state. Not wearing helmets leads to most accidents being fatal.

In 2022, 4,317 people died in 43,945 accidents. Around 49,339 people were injured.

Till March 2023, 840 people have lost their lives in road accidents.