Tasmania's mobile speed cameras have proven to be a lucrative venture for the state, with fines totaling nearly $10 million being issued for speeding, mobile phone use, and seatbelt infractions. Initially focusing on speeding violations, the cameras quickly escalated their fines, detecting various driving offenses, including mobile phone usage and seatbelt violations.
Designed to improve road safety, the tower cameras, known for their top-down view of driver behavior, have identified over 1,300 mobile phone-related driving offenses, amounting to $500,000 in fines. Additionally, they have caught 2,400 seatbelt infractions, resulting in fines totaling $960,000. Despite the significant revenue generated, Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson emphasized that the cameras were not deployed for revenue purposes but rather to enhance road safety, showcasing examples of dangerous driving behavior.
The Department of State Growth's transport services strategically park the cameras in high-risk areas, with popular locations for the cameras including the Southern Outlet at Kingston, the Huon Highway at Leslie Vale, and the Brooker Highway at Claremont. While these spots have seen a high number of mobile phone offenses detected, some locations in the north, such as Bathurst Street in Launceston and the West Tamar Highway at Riverside, have yielded fewer violations. Unsurprisingly, the cameras are rarely used in the north-west, with limited deployment in Burnie and Devonport. Unfortunately, a camera parked on Boyer Road at Bridgewater suffered extensive fire damage last month, indicating potential challenges faced by these mobile speed cameras.