Data from ‘Slow for SAM’ speed detectors to be given to police
“SAM” might look friendly when he tells you to slow down, or smiles at you when you do the right thing, but the data collected from the Brisbane City Council initiative could be used by police to catch and fine more speeding motorists.
QLD News
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BRISBANE City Council’s “Slow for SAM” speed detectors are being used to tip off police about leadfoot hot spots.
It comes after new figures revealed nearly one in five road users were caught travelling too fast past the council’s speed awareness monitors (SAMs) in 2017-18.
Infrastructure committee chairwoman Amanda Cooper yesterday confirmed council was taking a “targeted approach” by referring speeding hot spots identified through the “Slow for SAM” program to police.
The admission followed calls from Labor Opposition councillors for all data collected from the signs to be passed on to authorities for enforcement.
“Council regularly works with the Queensland Police Service to provide information on any road safety issues in suburban streets so that they can undertake their own patrols and enforcement,” Councillor Cooper said.
“If Labor councillors weren’t so caught up playing politics with a road safety campaign, they would realise that they could already be providing data captured by their local speed awareness monitors to local police.”
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk had previously said the signs were never intended for fining purposes, but the data could “potentially” be given to police if there were “absolute hot spots”.
Labor Opposition Councillor Steve Griffiths said the program would be pointless if the data from the monitors was not shared with police.
“We believe it should be formally provided to the police so that it can help them with their management of traffic as well,” he said.
“It’s a practical way of educating people but then what we need is enforcement as well.”
Cr Griffiths said he already passed on data collected from the signs in his Moorooka ward to local police.
The signs do not collect numberplates, but simply flash a warning telling speeding drivers to slow down.
They also count the number of road users caught speeding in the area, allowing the council to identify leadfoot hot spots.
Among the worst speeding areas in 2017/18 was Kluver Rd at Bracken Ridge, where 91 per cent of motorists were detected above the 50km/h speed limit.
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