Latest news with #CommunityRoadSafetyFund
Daily Mail
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
The common but very naughty driving habit that will cost you a $400 fine and five demerit points
Thousands of drivers who were fined for using their phones while behind the wheel argued that the device was actually another item - like a wallet or banana bread. Three out of four motorists who told the judge they weren't using their phone on NSW roads were still required to pay their fines. But the low success rate didn't stop many drivers from arguing that it wasn't a phone pictured in their hand, with some going as far as to claim it was actually 'a chocolate wafer,' 'a calculator,' or 'banana bread.' Mobile phone detection cameras were introduced in early 2020 and have since caught one in every 957 drivers breaking phone laws. Despite being photographed holding their phones by the cameras, 879 people have contested their fines so far this year. One motorist told the court they had been snapped holding a 'receipt tin,' which the judge dismissed, ordering them to pay a $500 fine. Another claimed they were using an 'electric shaver' but were still found guilty. In a shocking case, a driver claimed the phone pictured was actually a 'Kit Kat,' but the judge upheld their $400 fine and ordered them to cover an additional $600 in departmental costs. Other failed misidentification arguments included banana bread, wallets, a calculator, and a 'remote control for a car stereo'. Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray explained that many motorists likely believed they could get away with disputing the fine, as the photo they receive is often small and grainy. He claimed many were shocked when they realised the image supplied to the judge is large and detailed, with the phone clearly visible. "They're thinking, 'What's to say what the picture shows'," Murray told the Daily Telegraph. "But once the pic is shown on a big TV screen next to the magistrate, it's often very clear that it is a phone — sometimes you can even see the brand name. "Everyone deserves their day in court but with three out of four cases being upheld, it's clear many drivers are ticking the box." Roughly 614 million cars have been checked by mobile phone detection cameras since March 1, 2020. Of those, 910,000 checks resulted in fines for illegal phone use. Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray explained that many drivers mistakenly believed mobile phone detection cameras (pictured) produce poor-quality images. The fine for using a mobile phone is typically $423 but jumps to $562 if the offence was recorded in a school zone. On top of the monetary loss, convicted drivers lose five demerit points. Up to 47 mobile phone detection cameras operate in NSW at a time. Revenue collected from mobile phone, seatbelt and speeding fines goes into a Community Road Safety Fund to help cover the cost of road safety initiatives.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Massive change on roads after new Aussie speed cameras rolled out
Average speed cameras in New South Wales appear to be having the intended effect. Data from a nine-week trial period shows drivers responding as authorities had hoped, before the cameras at the two locations were switched from trial to enforcement mode this month. Motorists were warned that fines of up to $2,959 for light vehicles and the loss of six demerit points would be enforced should they be caught exceeding the speed limit at those spots. The cameras are positioned on two key routes: The Pacific Highway, along a 15 km stretch between Kew and Lake Innes on the NSW Mid North Coast; and on the Hume Highway, along a 16 km stretch between Coolac and Gundagai in the state's south. This week, after reviewing the latest data transport authorities confirmed to Yahoo News that speeding dropped by an incredible 38 per cent, on average, across the two locations throughout the nine-week monitoring period, despite no threat of fines. It means that drivers were taking notice and slowing down anyway. "There's already been a big drop in speeding at both sites," the state government said, adding that all money from fines (speeding, red lights, phones, seatbelts) goes into the Community Road Safety Fund, which supports road safety programs across NSW. Experts say average speed cameras are one of the most effective tools for reducing speeding-related crashes. Also known as point-to-point cameras, they work by calculating a vehicle's average speed over a monitored road section rather than capturing it at a single point. They record a vehicle's entry and exit times at two points, then calculate whether the average speed exceeds the limit. These are the only average speed cameras in NSW to date that will lead to fines for light vehicles; all other locations around the state monitor the speed of heavy vehicles only. The technology has proved effective in other developed nations, including the UK, Norway, Italy and the Netherlands, and their use has also been adopted in other Australian states in recent times. Warning as new cameras officially target drivers from today Millions warned as speed camera change becomes official Urgent warning over deadly trend on Aussie roads In an earlier update at the end of June, Transport for NSW reported that by the end of the seventh week in the trial period, there had been a 48 per cent "improvement in behaviour" on the Pacific Highway with the number of light vehicle drivers detected speeding dropping to one in every 235. An improvement of 37 per cent was seen on the Hume Highway, where the figure dropped to one in every 194. Now, by the end of the entire nine-week testing period, the collective decrease sits at 38 per cent, showing that the figures remain steady. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
