High rejection rates for fixed speed cameras across Adelaide because photos were unsuitable

SEVEN out of ten motorists at a southern suburbs speed camera are escaping fines because photos taken were unsuitable. See which cameras are the worst.

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SEVEN out of ten motorists at a southern suburbs speed camera are escaping fines because photos taken were unsuitable.

Expiation data analysed by The Advertiser, shows 70 per cent of all photos snapped by the speed camera at the intersection of Diagonal Rd and Oaklands Rd, Glengowrie, were rejected in 2017.

More than 27000 motorists across the state were spared fines last year, worth at least $6 million based on a $230 fine if a driver was caught travelling less than 10km/h above the speed limit. On average a fixed speed camera in South Australia has a rejection rate of 10 per cent.

The top reasons for rejected images are vehicles straddling lanes, vehicle not visible in photograph A, sunglare, flash incorrectly aligned and flash affecting visibility of plates.

No expiations are issued for rejected photos of an offence.

A SA Police spokesman said photo rejections may have “various circumstantial reasons and not through any technical fault of the cameras”.

The speed camera near the corner of Diagonal and Oaklands roads at Glengowrie.

“The main common link for most of the camera/locations provided could be larger intersection fixed cameras and the vehicle not visible in shot A,” he said.

“With large intersections, the potential for other vehicles to obscure the offending vehicle in one of the images is greater due to the volume of traffic.

“This is a particular issue with ‘turn right’ lanes, so rejection rates are expected to vary and be higher in some locations due to design of intersection and positions available to place cameras.”

He said police review and adjudicate each image frame so that motorists are given the benefit of the doubt and reject photos if the identification of a vehicle or offence is not 100 per cent clear.

“There may not necessarily be any direct link between the top five reject reasons and the top ten fixed camera locations,” he said.

The camera at the intersection of Churchill Rd and Regency Rd, Prospect also had a rejection rate of nearly 60 per cent.

The most photos rejected were taken at South Eastern Freeway, Leawood Gardens — which only has 14.3 per cent rejection rate — closely followed by the camera at Grand Junction Rd and Main North Rd where 1544 photos were rejected out of 3546 photos taken there.

A Transport Department spokesman revealed preliminary data showed that speed was a contributing factor in nearly one in four fatal crashes in 2017.

“One of the key strategies for safer speeds identifies the increased use of new technologies to boost speed limit compliance as it may contribute to the general deterrence effect and improve road safety,” he said.

“As such, fixed and mobile safety cameras may be utilised to deter incidences of speeding or red-light running behaviour.”

Top 10 rejection rates for fixed speed cameras

■ Diagonal Rd/Oaklands Rd, Glengowrie

850 rejection photos with rate 70.2 per cent

■ Churchill Road/Regency Road, Prospect

348 rejection photos with rate 58.1 per cent

■ Henley Beach Rd/Tapleys Hill Rd, Fulham

559 rejection photos with rate 44.6 per cent

■ Grand Junction Rd/Main North Rd, Enfield

1544 rejection photos with rate 43.5 per cent

■ Cross Rd/Goodwood Rd, Westbourne Park

442 rejection photos with rate 43.2 per cent

■ Goodwood Rd/Cross Rd, Kings Park

175 rejection photos with rate 42.7 per cent

■ Grote St/West Tce, Adelaide

701 rejection photos with rate 42.1 per cent

■ Montacute Rd/Glynburn Rd, Hectorville

204 rejection photos with rate 39.8 per cent

■ South Rd/Richmond Rd, Mile End South

927 rejection photos with rate 38.4 per cent

■ Main North Rd/Regency Rd, Enfield

659 rejection photos with rate 37.0 per cent