Morphett Vale father denies holding phone when snapped on mobile detection camera
A southern suburbs father claims he was unfairly fined by a mobile phone detection camera – as a lawyer reveals your odds of fighting back.
SA News
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A South Australian law firm says they have received an influx of queries from road users who believe they were wrongfully snapped by mobile detection cameras, with some willing to take the matter to court.
Between October to December, mobile phone detection cameras across five locations around the metro area – Regency Park, Torrensville, Darlington, Hindmarsh and Gepps Cross – busted 28,120 drivers illegally on their phones.
Stanley Law’s Criminal, Traffic and Firearms lawyer Karen Stanley said she has received an influx of queries from motorists who believe they have been wrongfully snapped by the detection camera.
“I would have had at least 20 to 30 people calling me, some of them with multiple fines,” Ms Stanley said.
Ms Stanley believes some of those motorists “rightfully have a case”.
“One gentleman who contacted me, sent through the photos and he was wearing a high vis shirt with a very visible fluorescent strip down the front, near where the seat belt crosses over him,” she said.
“The people who have a case are the people that are not holding their phones, but there is some ambiguity.”
One of the 28,120 fined motorists, Ben Digance, claims “there was no visible phone” in his hand when the detection cameras captured his vehicle along the Southern Expressway, on December 9.
“When there’s no phone able to be visible, how can you fine someone when they don’t have a phone,” The Morphett Vale father told 7News.
“I feel like it’s really unfair, it’s something that needs to be more reviewed and more scrutiny on what’s happening.”
Since September, texting and driving has cost South Australian road users over $15.5m in fines.
SA Police said distraction has played a part in more than 30 of the current 89 lives lost on SA roads last year, and more than 75 serious injuries.
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