New state-of-the-art traffic cameras are to be rolled out on Canberra’s roads to catch motorists making phone calls following legislation introduced into the Legislative Assembly.
Minister for Transport Canberra and City Services, Chris Steel said the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Amendment Bill 2021, would improve safety on the Territory’s roads by enabling the use of the new mobile device detection cameras.
“Research shows that drivers who text, browse or email on a mobile device while driving are 10 times more likely to crash,” Mr Steel said.
“Driving while using your mobile device is as dangerous as drink driving, yet every day too many Canberrans put themselves and others at risk by doing it,” he said.
Mr Steel said that in 2020, ACT Policing issued 1,008 infringement notices and 190 cautions for mobile device use while driving but the actual incidence of the behaviour was believed to be far higher.
He said the new cameras would significantly increase the risk of being caught and penalised for using a mobile device while driving.
He said that once the cameras were in place, the existing penalties would apply regardless of whether the offence was detected by a police officer or a camera.
“This includes a maximum court fine of 20 penalty units or an infringement notice penalty of $480 and three demerit points for drivers who use their hand-held mobile device to make or receive a call,” Mr Steel said.
“The penalty for a driver who uses a mobile device for messaging, social networking, a mobile app or accessing the internet is a maximum court fine of 20 penalty units or an infringement notice penalty of $589 and four demerit points.”
He said there would be a three-month grace period when the cameras were launched, during which drivers caught on their phones would receive a letter, instead of a fine, that provided a stern warning and educated them on the risks of using a mobile device while driving.
Mr Steel said safeguards were in place to protect people’s privacy, including that photos taken by cameras be reviewed by artificial intelligence to identify possible offences; photos to be rapidly deleted if no offence is detected; and images of front seat passengers to be blurred out when photos are reviewed by people.
He said the mobile device detection cameras were expected to commence operation late this year or early next year depending on procurement outcomes.
