Truth about mysterious speeding letters leaving Aussies baffled

News.com.au

15-06-2025

I received a warning letter in the mail recently, and to be honest, at first, I laughed.
My partner spotted the envelope from Revenue NSW and immediately braced me for a hefty fine, meaning I'd probably be waiting a bit longer to refill my tank.
But to my surprise, it wasn't a slap on the wrist at all, more like a soft tap on the shoulder.
Since then, everyone I've talked to about it has been equally perplexed, all asking the same thing: 'But did you get fined?'
It turns out these warning letters don't hit your wallet, don't add demerit points, and don't affect your licence.
They're basically just a heads-up from the government saying: 'Hey, you were speeding, so ease up'.
Still, people see them and panic because it's unfamiliar territory, while others don't really think these letters do much to actually change long-term behaviour.
'Honestly, this would deter me, I think it's the people pleaser in me,' a colleague mentioned.
A close friend countered, 'If I stumble next to a cliff I'm not going to keep walking next to the cliff, so I won't speed again in that area. But I doubt it'll stop people speeding elsewhere.'
Personally, I find those digital signs that flash a sad face when you're speeding to be more effective.
Those little guilt trips actually make me slow down more than a piece of paper in the mail.
So how do warning letters work?
When a new speed camera gets switched on, NSW hands out warning letters instead of instant fines or demerit points.
Think of it like a soft launch, a chance to get used to the new speed traps without getting stung straight away.
These letters tell you everything: where and when you were caught, how fast you were going, and a gentle reminder to slow down next time.
In general, warning letter mode is in place for at least a month (two for average speed cameras) but can be extended depending on the circumstances and compliance.
The Rozelle Interchange in Sydney's Inner West became the latest battleground earlier this year due to its potential for high-speed travel.
Average speed cameras started rolling out on March 6, 2024, kicking off a warning phase that lasted until June.
Fast forward to now: three out of four cameras are full throttle with fines and demerit points, while one camera is still in the warning zone.
So if you got a warning letter from Rozelle, consider yourself lucky.
NSW has a number of locations where average speed cameras are operational and have previously gone through a warning letter phase:
In NSW, average speed cameras have mostly been used for heavy vehicles like trucks and buses, but there is currently a trial underway in regional areas to assess their effectiveness for light vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, at the following locations:
- Pacific Highway: Kew to Lake Innes (15 km)
- Hume Highway: Coolac to Gundagai (16 km)
The warning period ran from May 1 to June 30, 2025, with full enforcement starting July 1.
Those 60 days gave drivers a chance to get used to being monitored over longer stretches of road.
It kind of reminds me of that time a cop let me off with a warning after I slowed down past a hill — this is just a more official version of that.
How do average speed cameras work?
Unlike traditional speed cameras that capture a vehicle's speed at a single point, average speed cameras calculate the average speed between two fixed points. This method makes it more challenging for drivers to evade detection by slowing down right before the camera.
During any warning phase, if you exceed 30 km/h over the limit, you risk fines and demerit points. Anything under, you'll receive a warning letter.
'That is more than fair. I think 20 over you should get fined,' another colleague remarked.
This 30 km/h threshold applies everywhere in NSW, whether you're dealing with fixed cameras, point-to-point average speed cameras, or mobile trials.
But these warning letters are also not new — they have been effectively used in NSW since the early 2000s.
Ms Sally Webb, Deputy Secretary for Safety, Policy, Environment and Regulation told news.com.au: 'Speeding is one of the biggest killers on NSW roads and camera enforcement is one of the most effective, evidence-based measures to reduce speeding.
'When a fixed speed camera, red-light speed camera or average speed camera is installed, it is clearly signposted, a media release is issued to the local community and Transport for NSW implements a warning period to help drivers adjust their driving behaviour. The policy of issuing warning letters has been in place for more than ten years.
'During warning mode the cameras are monitored for levels of compliance, once a certain level of compliance is achieved cameras are switched to enforcement mode.
'Drivers are reminded that they should always comply with the speed limits, not just when they know there is a speed camera. It's the law and it saves lives — travelling at 65km/h in a 60km/h limit doubles the risk of a casualty crash.'
So while you should never speed, consider yourself lucky — and warned — if you escape with just a slap on the wrist.