Laser scanners could ease traffic congestion
New laser scanners are to be used across England to enable police to clear motorways more quickly after major accidents.
The laser technology makes 3d images of the site, eliminating the time consuming need for investigators to scour the scene and the subsequent long road closures.
The 3d laser technology uses a special scanner mounted on a tripod to take a 360° image of the crash site, recording 30million separate data points down to a resolution of less than 1mm. Typically, police will take four scans of the site, each sweep taking approximately 4minutes. A digital image can then be viewed on a pc, displaying measurements such as where vehicles are in relation to each other and other important information.
The Department of Transport and the police will each invest £3million in the purchase of 20 scanners.
