Where are the camera fine hot spots on Victoria’s roads?

New figures from the Justice Department show Victorian motorists are racking up $264,000 in fines on fixed speed cameras alone every day. Where are the worst offenders found?

Victoria’s freeways and toll roads are hot spots for traffic offences.

Drivers on Victoria’s busiest motorways are coughing millions of dollars in fines every month, with 44 people nabbed along the high-speed corridors every hour.

Latest statistics from the Justice Department show from July to September last year there were 99,332 fines issued to motorists for speeding, red light or registration offences on toll roads and freeways.

The number of fines was almost 14,000 — or 14 per cent — up compared with the previous period.

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Fixed cameras collected more than $24.3 million in revenue or a staggering $264,000 a day.

Motorists travelling between Melbourne and Geelong were among the most likely to caught out, with five spots along the Princes Freeway and Geelong Rd ranked in the state’s 10 most active cameras.

RACV general manager of public policy Bryce Prosser said although fines were issued every day the majority of drivers tended to travel within the speed limit.

Most crashes occur when people who are generally obeying the road rules make a mistake,” he said.

“Where there are higher speed limits, such as freeways, the risk of a crash increases and at a higher speed, a crash is often catastrophic.

“Roadworks are currently underway on many of Melbourne’s major roads and while this can cause delays and frustration for drivers, we urge them to stick to the speed limit, as they are temporary, and the works are required for improving our roads.”

Speed cameras on the Princes Freeway, near Werribee.

Nearly a quarter of all freeway fines were also issued along the Western Ring Road.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said most motorists still thought it was acceptable to drive slightly over the speed limit.

“The faster you drive, there’s no doubt that if you crash, your speed will determine your level of injury,” she said.

“Victoria Police will continue its focus on enforcing all traffic offences and calls on motorists themselves to consider the possible ramifications of their choices behind the wheel.

“It’s not worth going ‘just that little bit over’ or running a red light when you’re putting lives at risk.

“Traffic offences are voluntary fines. We would rather road users obey the speed limit and other road rules in the first place than have to issue infringements.”

A Justice Department spokeswoman said hundreds of thousands of vehicles used the Hume and Monash Freeways each week, with most motorists doing the right thing.

The Western Ring Rd carries more than 10 million vehicles a month while the Princes Freeway is one of Melbourne’s busiest roads, with fines more common closer to the city.

“All motorists have to do to avoid an infringement is stick to the speed limit,’’ the spokeswoman said.

“We’ve had a horrific start to the year on our roads and every motorist has a responsibility to keep themselves, their passengers and every other road user as safe as possible by slowing down, and making sure they keep to the speed limit.”

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