New road rules move sees Aussie drivers slapped with $500,000 in fines
Like NSW and Queensland, the ACT offers an online portal for residents to report various non-urgent incidents to police, with the service expanding last year to allow the submission of traffic offences caught on camera.
And the move appears to have paid off, with authorities receiving more than 1,800 reports from July, 2024 until June, leading officers to issue more than 1,100 infringements. Another 250 drivers copped a warning.
Speaking to Yahoo News on Friday, a spokesperson for ACT Policing revealed most drivers caught on camera were busted for traffic light offences — mainly failing to stop for a red light — which carries a $552 penalty.
The 'dangerous and selfish' act places everyone on the road at 'significant risk', Detective acting Inspector Sean Evans said, urging those behind the wheel to 'slow down and be patient'. 'The longest you'll wait for a green light in Canberra is approximately a minute and a half,' he explained.
Numerous motorists were also fined for driving without due care, negligent driving, and overtaking violations, with police releasing shocking clips of the offences. The footage shows a large truck crossing multiple lanes at great speed before almost colliding with a motorist, and various other cars suddenly swerving in front of trailing vehicles.
Warning to drivers breaking road rules: 'Dangerous'
The spokesperson for ACT Policing told Yahoo the online reporting system is 'an added measure of accountability for drivers', alongside police patrols and cameras.
'Police may not catch you running a red light, but the car behind you may, and if there's video evidence, you can then be issued an infringement,' they said.
'Police can't be everywhere, all the time. And this system allows other drivers — where they see dangerous driving occurring — to report it to police in a simple and convenient way.'
Driver's photo sparks $400 warning over little-known road rule
Calls to review driver's licence requirements for older Aussies
Massive change on roads after new Aussie speed cameras rolled out
To report a driver, you must be able to provide video or photographic evidence of the offence you witnessed when requested by ACT Policing. The complainant may also be required to provide a formal witness statement and attend court to confirm the information.
Earlier this year, ACT Policing Chief Police Officer Scott Lee said the electronic service had freed up resources, allowing officers to focus on more time-sensitive matters.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Northbound Highway 99 blocked near Yuba City after motorcycle crash
Traffic into the Yuba City area is blocked on northbound Highway 99 due to a crash Wednesday morning. The crash happened just before 9 a.m. near Bogue Road, south of Yuba City limits. Exactly what led up to the crash is unclear, but a motorcycle and another vehicle were involved. Major injuries have been reported, California Highway Patrol says. No estimated time of reopening has been given for Highway 99. Northbound traffic on the freeway is being diverted onto Stewart to Railroad or S. Walton roads for the time being.
CBS News
8 hours ago
- CBS News
Arrest made in December 2024 Melbourne synagogue arson attack
One of the three men suspected of an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue last year was arrested, police said Wednesday. A 21-year-old Melbourne man, who was not identified, was arrested at a house on suspicion he had set the fire at the Adass Israel Synagogue in December, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam said. The predawn attack on Dec. 6, 2024, destroyed the synagogue and left a worshipper with minor burns. The arrest is a major breakthrough for investigators in the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team that is treating the attack as politically motivated. The team involves Victoria state and federal police, as well as Australia's main domestic spy agency. More than 220 law enforcement officers have devoted more than 50,000 hours to the investigation. "Today's arrest is a demonstration of our ongoing efforts to hold those involved to account," Steendam said in a statement announcing the arrest. "We now have charged two people as part of this investigation and I expect there will be more to come." Two weeks ago, a 20-year-old man was charged with stealing the car used in the synagogue attack. But that suspect has not been accused of being one of the masked men who used brooms to spread a liquid accelerant across the floor of the synagogue before igniting it. An arson conviction carries a potential maximum of 15 years in prison, while the other two offenses are each punishable by 10 years imprisonment. The suspect has yet to be charged. "I want to reassure Victorians, particularly those in the Jewish community, that we remain relentless in our pursuit in finding all those responsible for this crime and holding them to account," Steendam told reporters. Police suspect offshore criminals had worked with associates in Victoria to orchestrate the attack, Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett said. "The motivation is still being assessed," Barrett told reporters. "We are … working closely with our Five Eyes partners and international partners to ensure our collective powers and capabilities are drawn upon to help bring those responsible to justice," she added. Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing partnership that includes Australia, the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand. Barrett declined to say who the offshore suspects were or identify the countries they were operating in. "This crime was despicable as it was dangerous, and it is important to acknowledge that this was not just an arson on a synagogue," she added in a statement. "The effect of this crime has rippled through a community that continues to be targeted by criminals. We will not stand for this." A wave of antisemitic attacks has roiled Australia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. The synagogue attack is the only incident that has been classified as an act of terrorism, a designation that increases the resources available to the investigation. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke welcomed the arrest in connection with what he described as a "hate crime." Burke noted that his government had promised 30 million Australian dollars ($20 million) to rebuild the synagogue. "This arrest cannot undo the pain and fear that it (arson) caused, but it does send the strongest message that this kind of hate and violence has no place in Australia," Burke told Parliament. "This attack was not simply an attack on Jewish Australians; an attack on a synagogue is an attack on Australia and is treated as such," he added. Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the main advocate for the nation's Jewish community, hoped more arrests would be made and that the masterminds of the crime would be quickly brought to justice. "Only then will a deterrent be established against this sort of chilling behavior," Aghion said. Earlier this month, an arsonist set fire to the door of another synagogue in Melbourne, dousing the double front doors of the downtown East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation and setting it alight. Around 20 worshippers sharing a meal to mark the Shabbat Jewish day of rest evacuated through a rear door, police said. No one was injured.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bev Priestman ‘didn't feel safe' in Canada after spying ban, appointed at Wellington Phoenix
Former Canada women's soccer coach Bev Priestman says she 'didn't feel safe' in the country after her one-year ban from the sport for her role in a spying scandal at last year's Olympics. Priestman has been appointed at Wellington Phoenix Women, the New Zealand club which competes in the Australian A-League, following the expiration of her suspension from football-related activities due to 'offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play.' The 39-year-old Englishwoman was removed as Canada coach in August 2024 following the spying scandal that overshadowed the nation's Olympics campaign. A staff member for Canada was caught flying a drone over a training session of opponents New Zealand, with it subsequently emerging that drone use against opponents predated that tournament. 'I didn't feel safe (living in Canada after the Olympics),' Priestman said at a news conference, via AFP. 'That's being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I have to live with that. 'It was an absolute media frenzy. You've got people knocking at your door and everything, and I've got a little boy. Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get out of that country.' Referencing the expiration of her ban, Priestman said: 'There's certain values that I hold and unfortunately, you know, things around me have clouded my judgement. 'So for me personally, I just want to get back to … I love working with people. I love getting the best out of people. I love being on a football pitch.' Priestman — married to Emma Humphries, a former New Zealand international midfielder — has said she aims to 'bring some special moments to not only this city, but this country.' Priestman won 30 of her 56 matches in charge of Canada and led the team to the gold medal at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in August 2021. Wellington Phoenix, who were previously managed by Paul Temple, finished ninth of 12 in last season's A-League. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Canada, International Football, Women's Soccer, Olympics, Women's World Cup 2025 The Athletic Media Company
