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posted by martyb on Saturday October 20 2018, @11:13PM   Printer-friendly
from the Automated-Law-Enforcement dept.

Australian cities are working with several companies to install cameras to capture still images and video to detect drivers using mobile phones on the road to fine them in the same way automated speed cameras work. This is good news for local governments who desperately need an influx of cash in the wake of reduced intake from speeding fines. A recent report showed that there is limited evidence that cameras have led to a change in driver behaviour across the state by acting as a deterrent however it is expected that harshly fining drivers may work better than putting up signs informing drivers that speed cameras are installed ahead. The system for detecting mobile phone use in cars is currently being tested on the M4 motorway in Sydney.


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  • (Score: 5, Informative) by jb on Sunday October 21 2018, @05:18AM (1 child)

    by jb (338) on Sunday October 21 2018, @05:18AM (#751571)

    This is good news for local governments who desperately need an influx of cash in the wake of reduced intake from speeding fines.

    That is misleading.

    In Australia, Local Government Agencies do not get the revenue from road traffic fines, except for parking fines.

    Revenue from all other road traffic fines (including those for speeding and for using a telephone while driving) goes to the State or Territory Government.

    Some LGAs (particularly in the East & West Coast capitals) may well be cash-starved, but if so that has nothing all to do with declining speed camera revenue (more likely has to do with the recent stagnation of the property market, coupled with stupid forward estimates for rates revenue that assumed the property bubble would never end nor even pause).

    And this plan won't help them, at least not directly. If it helps them indirectly -- by State/Territory government earmarking all revenue from car-phone-cameras to top up the LGA subsidy -- then surely that would constitute an admission on the part of the State/Territory government that the primary purpose of these new cameras is revenue raising?

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 21 2018, @09:58AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 21 2018, @09:58AM (#751598)

    True, but the cash flows down to the local level. The people who help create the circumstances to collect the money. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean.