New Technology To Save Lives On Our Roads

  • Minister for Police and Emergency Services

Speeding motorists are on notice as new technology to crack down on dangerous driving and help save lives hits the roads.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville today announced the first of the next generation mobile speed cameras, which start enforcement this month following extensive testing in the community.

The new state-of-the-art mobile road safety cameras can capture multiple motorists simultaneously, across multiple lanes and directions, and detect speeds of up to 350 km/h.

This new technology will play a critical role in reducing road trauma and saving lives on our roads by detecting dangerous drivers and helping change motorists’ behaviour.

The cameras can identify motorists across six lanes of traffic in either direction, regardless of what side of the road the camera is set up on.

They include tracking radar technology and aren’t affected by steel obstructions, median strips or trams. They will be progressively rolled out over the next year, replacing the existing fleet of cameras.

The cameras produce high-quality images, ensuring those risking lives by speeding are captured clearly throughout the day and night.

The Andrews Labor Government provided more than $120 million dollars in the 2019/20 Victorian Budget to increase mobile camera enforcement by 75 per cent over the coming years and investigate new road safety camera capabilities.

These cameras are vital in expanding mobile camera enforcement, as new research confirms the expansion of the mobile camera network is by far the most effective and efficient way to reduce trauma on our roads.

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has found up to 60 lives could be saved and 260 serious injuries prevented every year by expanding the program by 75 per cent.

Victoria Police currently has around 2000 sites where they set up the mobile road safety cameras. The new technology will enable Victoria Police to deploy the cameras along busy main roads and highways, as well as suburban rat-runs.

As noted by Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville

“We’re still seeing far too many people who think speeding won’t hurt anyone – and it’s costing too many lives.”

“These cameras will help save lives and the message is clear – if you speed on our roads you will be caught and you will face the consequences.”

As stated by Minister for Roads and Minister for Road Safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford

“The number of deaths on our roads this year is heartbreaking and this new, state-of-the-art technology is about holding motorists to account and changing driver behaviour.”

/Public Release. View in full here.