Nation puzzled by worrying trend in road statistics: Should red light cameras return to Tasmania?

As national road safety authorities puzzle over a worrying trend in road safety, a committee is considering what new policing measures can be brought into Tasmania. But it is yet to consider a case for the return of red light cameras.

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NEW policing technology is being considered to combat a worrying trend on Tasmania’s roads, but it remains unclear whether red light cameras could make a return to the state.

A recent spike in serious crashes with four deaths and 14 serious injuries over the past three weeks has triggered a call for Tasmanians to “wake up to themselves”.

A 28-year-old motorcycle rider became the fourth motorist to die on the state’s road’s in that period when he collided with an Uber vehicle at a Launceston intersection on Sunday.

Police believe he was travelling “well in excess” of the speed limit, may have failed to obey a red light and may have been effected by alcohol.

Road Safety Advisory Council chair Garry Bailey said national road safety authorities were puzzled as to why road trauma was “levelling off” and no longer declining as it was until about five years ago.

He saidthe state would see “more death and serious injury this year unless Tasmanians wake up to themselves and start looking after each other”.

“If we continue on our current trajectory, we will see 175 over the next five years.”

An interdepartmental committee looking at a range of new policing technologies is expected to provide advice to Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson next year.

Road Safety Advisory Council chair Garry Bailey and Sergeant Mark Woodland. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Mr Bailey said one such technology being trialled and seeing results in New South Wales was detecting a range of behaviours – particularly the illegal use of mobile phones.

But, he said he would not comment on the reinstallation of red light cameras until he saw evidence of their effectiveness.

Tasmania’s red light cameras were switched off in 2004 due to technical issues.

There are currently 10 permanent speed cameras operating across the state.

Research Fellow at the University of Adelaide Centre for Automotive Safety Research Craig

Kloeden said combined red light and speed cameras would “unequivocally” reduce the number of crashes at intersections, worked best as part of a mix of measures to deter dangerous driving and would eventually pay for themselves.

Jonathan Higgins Assistant Commissioner Tasmania Police. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Assistant Commissioner Jonathon Higgins said Tasmania Police routinely examined new technologies and was always open to looking at alternative means of enforcing high-risk road behaviours.

“Our officers enforce red light and speeding offences as part of their regular duties and

patrols,” he said.

“We focus on road safety compliance through a combination of strategies including

mobile speed detection devices, fixed speed cameras, high visibility patrols and

unmarked police vehicles and motorcycles.”

Assistant commissioner Higgins said attending serious crashes and having to deliver the news that someone has been killed or seriously injured was one of the hardest things officers have to do.

“By taking road safety seriously, Tasmanians can help us to make sure other families

aren’t left mourning a loved one.”

Tasmania Police’s May Corporate Performance Report shows the Road and Public Order Services unit has handed out 22,323 speeding infringement notices so far this year.

Mr Bailey said more than 10,000 drivers were detected travelling at between 15km/h and 30km/h over the speed limit in 2019.

“That is madness,” he said.

Mr Bailey said road safety was a public health matter “just like COVID-19” and one of the solutions was changing behaviour.

“We’ve done that with COVID-19, now we need to do it with road safety.”

Traffic injury is the leading cause of death in Australia for children under 15 and the second biggest killer for young adults aged 15 to 24.

In 2017, 1,200 people were killed on Australian roads.