A proposal to let traffic cameras automatically record drivers using handheld phones in Azerbaijan could produce wrongful fines unless images clearly show the device, road safety expert Arshad Huseynov has warned.
The legislation would add the use of a phone held in the hand while a vehicle is moving to the violations that may be documented by special photo and video systems. The existing fine is 50 manats. The bill has not yet become law and does not increase that penalty.
Cameras Must Distinguish a Phone From a Hand
Huseynov said a camera might capture a driver raising a hand to an ear or head even when no phone is present. He argued that questionable frames should be filtered out and that the evidence must establish the violation unambiguously; otherwise, disputed tickets and appeals would be inevitable.
The expert supported stronger enforcement, noting that calls, messaging and looking at a screen distract drivers both physically and mentally. Even a few seconds of inattention can be enough to cause a serious crash, he said.
Phone Holders Are a Separate Issue
Huseynov also distinguished a handheld phone from a device mounted in a holder. Under the current rules, merely touching a mounted device or using an application is not a separate offense if the driver is not holding the phone in a hand.
If the legislation is adopted, the new camera-based mechanism could begin operating in the first months of 2027, according to the expert. That is an estimate dependent on the legislative process, not an approved start date.
Sources: APA; Report; Vesti Baku.