Australia's first mobile point-to-point safety cameras hit Western Australian roads on Wednesday, with the cutting-edge technology to be trialled over the next three months.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
The six cameras, which work in pairs to detect average speed as well as spot speed, also use the latest artificial intelligence to identify other high-risk behaviours, including using a mobile phone while driving, and not wearing a seatbelt.
Completely mobile and with the flexibility to be operated and monitored 24/7, the cameras will be trialled on a variety of roads in the metropolitan, Wheatbelt, Mid-West, South-West and Great Southern regions.
No infringements will be issued during the trial with the Road Safety Commission focused on collecting information about the suitability of the cameras on WA roads, and whether they are likely to improve driver behaviour and road safety outcomes.
Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia said the safety cameras would be placed on regional roads.
"With more than 70 per cent of the road fatalities this year occurring in regional areas, a key focus of the trial is testing the safety cameras on a range of regional roads, particularly those where people have sadly lost their lives."
Last year, 166 people died and a further 1,587 were seriously injured on WA roads.
Speed and inattention were two of the leading contributing factors in these crashes, and 85 people who were killed or seriously injured in a motor vehicle were not wearing a seatbelt.
In a concerning trend, the number of people seriously injured while not wearing a seatbelt increased nearly 25 per cent compared to the five-year average.
Read more:
Similar smart technology has already saved lives in New South Wales and Queensland.
The first six months following the introduction of mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras in Queensland coincided with a 10 per cent reduction in fatalities when compared to past trends.
The $1.5 million trial is funded through the Road Trauma Trust Account, which sees 100 per cent of red light and speed camera infringements allocated to projects and programs that reduce injuries and deaths on WA roads.
For more information about the trial, visit https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission
