New road cameras capture startling trends in one state

More than 800 devices were initially installed along the freewayto reduce traffic congestion, improve safety and reduce people’s journey by 10 minutes.

A record number of Perth drivers have been caught speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and

using their mobile phones have escaped fines for the past year, but that could soon change.

More than 800 devices were initially installed along the Kwinana Freeway to reduce traffic

congestion, improve safety and reduce people’s journey by 10 minutes.

As technology improved, the cameras could detect when drivers broke the law, capturing 60

people a day not wearing a seat belt and 5,000 people a month using their phone.

More than 800 devices were installed along the freeway.

Authorities are hoping to start using cameras to fine people doing the wrong thing in

moving traffic later this year.

Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner said the more “fear” people had about being

caught, the more their behaviour would change.

“What we really want is for more people to follow the rules more often,” he said.

“Too many people are breaking the rules too often.”

Research conducted by the commission found that cameras were good at creating systemic

fear in drivers who thought they could be caught doing the wrong thing behind the wheel.

In an interview on 6PR, Mr Warner said if drivers were more scared of getting caught then

they would behave better.

“That is what we are looking for people to behave a bit better on the roads,” he said.

“We know phones are a big driver of distraction and distractions are a big cause of crashes

and serious injuries.

More than 800 devices were initially installed along the Kwinana Freeway

“You would have to be unlucky to have a police officer going past you, usually on a

motorbike in slow moving traffic, and you are on your phone.

“That is where they catch most people in slow or stopped traffic.”

Mr Warner said in a trial the commission conducted using similar cameras in mobile trailers

they found 12,000 people not wearing seat belts over a few months.

“The facts on seat belts are pretty compelling, we know about 95 per cent of people wear

seat belts, which is a matter of rule,” he said.

“If we look at the stats and fatalities on roads about 25 people a year are dying on average

in crashes not wearing a seat belt.

“If we took all the people in motor vehicle accidents who are dying that is 25 per cent of

people.

“We know that 20 to 25 per cent of people is way overrepresented.

“That is 1 per cent of people not wearing a seat belt turning into 25 per cent of deaths on

our roads.

“That is why we think using cameras on our roads is going to be a really big gamechanger for

seat belt compliance.”

Originally published as New road cameras capture startling trends in one state