Ķirsis: Cameras and AI to Help Catch Reckless Drivers in Riga

Riga deputy mayor Vilnis Ķirsis (from the Jaunā Vienotība party) said on the TV24 programme "Preses klubs" that ever more video surveillance cameras are being installed in the Latvian capital, and artificial intelligence solutions are gradually being added to them. In his view, such technology will make it easier to spot and identify drivers who break traffic rules and endanger other road users. The issue matters because Latvia still ranks among the worst in Europe by the number of people killed in road accidents.

Driver culture has improved

Ķirsis acknowledged that, compared with the 1990s, driving culture in Latvia has improved considerably. According to him, road order was very different back then, while today society is more disciplined. Even so, reckless drivers remain a problem.

Footage from several sources

Recordings made by residents, car dashboard cameras and public transport cameras also play a growing role in documenting violations. The deputy mayor admitted that this approach reduces privacy, but at the same time it widens surveillance coverage and makes it possible to detect more such cases with technical means.

"Our privacy is diminishing, but through it coverage grows, along with the ability to identify such cases much more using various technical tools," Ķirsis explained.

He expressed confidence that wider use of technology will make aggressive and reckless drivers think twice before breaking the rules and endangering others.