New cameras catch thousands and issue $1.7 million driving fines in one week

Safety is paramount as we navigate the roads of our bustling cities.

Every day, countless drivers hit the streets, trusting everyone to follow the rules to keep each other safe. But it seems that not everyone has received the memo.

In a stunning display of disregard for road rules, Adelaide's newly installed mobile phone detection cameras have been revealed.



These high-tech sentinels have caught a staggering 2,544 drivers with their hands on their phones instead of the wheel within the first week of their operation.

The result? A hefty $1.7 million in fines issued to those flouting the law.


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Adelaide’s new mobile phone cameras have caught over 2,000 drivers, and $1.7 million in fines have been imposed on drivers violating the law. Credit: Shutterstock


The introduction of these cameras marks a significant step in road safety enforcement, and it's clear that the authorities are not taking the issue lightly.

Three repeat offenders have already felt the full force of the law, having been stripped of their licences for their persistent rule-breaking.

Superintendent Darren Fielke's message is simple and unequivocal: 'At the end of the day, the simple way to avoid a fine or stop losing your licence is just not to use a phone while driving.'



Despite a grace period during which warning letters were issued, some drivers have continued to ignore the risks associated with using mobile phones while driving.

‘It is baffling and disappointing because we've been speaking this message for a number of weeks,’ Fielke said.

According to police, the primary goal of these cameras is not to generate revenue but to instigate a fundamental shift in driver behaviour.

'This has always been about changing driver behaviour,' Fielke stated.

'If this takes fines and losing licenses to change behaviour, that is what we're relieved for.'

The statistics suggested that the cameras are having the intended effect, with the number of drivers caught using their phones showing a decline when compared to the grace period.



This comes after South Australia implemented a crackdown on drivers using mobile phones with fines of $556 and a loss of three demerit points.

The trial of these new cameras has already shown a high rate of offences, with one motorist caught every two minutes during busy periods. You can read more about this story here.
Key Takeaways

  • Adelaide's newly installed mobile phone detection cameras have captured thousands of drivers using their phones while driving, leading to $1.7 million in fines in the first week.
  • Three drivers have been caught multiple times, resulting in the loss of their licences.
  • Police have emphasised that the goal of the cameras is to change driving behaviour, not revenue raising.
  • The number of drivers caught using their phones has dropped since the initial grace period, suggesting the cameras may be effective in deterring mobile phone use behind the wheel.
Do you think these cameras will lead to long-term changes in driver behaviour? Have you noticed a difference in your driving habits or those of others since the cameras were introduced? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
 

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and yet you have a whole array of stupidity to fiddle with and button push and finger slide in the middle your dash on a screen but that's ok!!
Exactly! So many distractions with modern technology in the car - GPS, radio searches, a/c controls, dash cams... all legal and take my eyes away from driving so much more than my phone would. I also think it crazy to not be allowed to use the phone at a standstill or at traffic lights. Surely that's safer than waiting until the car is moving again?
 
Yes, too many people looking at their mobile phones whilst driving. In NSW demerit points make your CTP insurance more expensive.
“Compulsory Third Party (CTP) legislation varies from state to state, with many including the cost in car registrations. However, in New South Wales, where there is a choice of insurers, demerit points can directly impact Green Slip premiums and having just one on your licence can drive up prices.
16 Feb 2024”
 
I agree completely with this. I live in the country and drive through treacherous hills every day to get into the city. There was an occasion where a young girl was obviously texting on her phone and came completely on my side of the road and we were about to have a head-on collision. I was thankful that at that point in the road there was a verge on the side I could pull over or I would have headed over the cliff or if not in time to avoid her it would have been a head-on collision. Very scary and wouldn't have happened if she wasn't on her bloody phone!! When will people realise how dangerous this is. It should be obvious to even stupid people that if you're on your phone texting while driving you will end up killing someone.
 
Revenue raising at its finest! Look! I get it, not looking at the road whilst driving is very dangerous, but can someone please explain to me what the difference is between holding your phone in your hand whilst driving and having a conversation with it is any different to holding your steering wheel one-handed whilst talking to the person sitting in your passenger seat? And, yes, I know holding the steering wheel one-handed is illegal too but how many people actually get pinged for doing that as opposed to holding a mobile phone? Everyday I witness hundreds of people driving one-handed and I see cops driving straight past them without pulling them over. I also witness cops driving and talking on handheld devices all the time. Why are they allowed to? Why is it safe for them to be talking on a mobile device whilst driving? Why is it ok for them to not have proper control of their vehicle? Often they hold their two-way microphone and talk on it whilst involved in a high speed chase! But that, apparently, is different! How? I don’t know.
As for hidden cameras and radar traps, I’m all for that. If you’re not speeding or doing anything wrong you won’t get sprung!
 
Revenue raising at its finest! Look! I get it, not looking at the road whilst driving is very dangerous, but can someone please explain to me what the difference is between holding your phone in your hand whilst driving and having a conversation with it is any different to holding your steering wheel one-handed whilst talking to the person sitting in your passenger seat? And, yes, I know holding the steering wheel one-handed is illegal too but how many people actually get pinged for doing that as opposed to holding a mobile phone? Everyday I witness hundreds of people driving one-handed and I see cops driving straight past them without pulling them over. I also witness cops driving and talking on handheld devices all the time. Why are they allowed to? Why is it safe for them to be talking on a mobile device whilst driving? Why is it ok for them to not have proper control of their vehicle? Often they hold their two-way microphone and talk on it whilst involved in a high speed chase! But that, apparently, is different! How? I don’t know.
As for hidden cameras and radar traps, I’m all for that. If you’re not speeding or doing anything wrong you won’t get sprung!
The difference is that while you are holding your phone talking to someone you can still watch the road and have a hand on the steering wheel. Texting is a completely different matter because you have to be able to hold the phone and press each key individually whilst texting and looking directly at the phone. Completely different and much more dangerous!!
 
Exactly! So many distractions with modern technology in the car - GPS, radio searches, a/c controls, dash cams... all legal and take my eyes away from driving so much more than my phone would. I also think it crazy to not be allowed to use the phone at a standstill or at traffic lights. Surely that's safer than waiting until the car is moving again?
And while you're busy messing with your phone the lights change and you don't realise it and hold up the traffic
Surely nothing is so earth shattering that it can't wait until you have finished driving.The same with all the other items in the car which distract you. Set your GPS before you leave. The world won't end if you miss a phone call.
How on earth did we all survive before the invention of mobile phones, etc??
People are more worried about missing a phone call than they are about the safety of other people on the roads.
Self entitled morons IMO.
 
Revenue raising at its finest! Look! I get it, not looking at the road whilst driving is very dangerous, but can someone please explain to me what the difference is between holding your phone in your hand whilst driving and having a conversation with it is any different to holding your steering wheel one-handed whilst talking to the person sitting in your passenger seat? And, yes, I know holding the steering wheel one-handed is illegal too but how many people actually get pinged for doing that as opposed to holding a mobile phone? Everyday I witness hundreds of people driving one-handed and I see cops driving straight past them without pulling them over. I also witness cops driving and talking on handheld devices all the time. Why are they allowed to? Why is it safe for them to be talking on a mobile device whilst driving? Why is it ok for them to not have proper control of their vehicle? Often they hold their two-way microphone and talk on it whilst involved in a high speed chase! But that, apparently, is different! How? I don’t know.
As for hidden cameras and radar traps, I’m all for that. If you’re not speeding or doing anything wrong you won’t get sprung!
I would imagine there would be different laws for emergency services such as police, ambulance, fire etc A bit different than your normal nitwit who can't wait to answer a phone call.
If you need to use your phone so desperately that it's worth risking your life and more importantly the lives of others on the road then invest in hands-free.
If you get fined then more fool you.
 
Hi, it will have a small impact.
This warnings have been out there for years and hardly anyone cares thus the high number of drivers that have been caught. For many, especially the young, they don't care if they are fined or lose their licence, because driving gives them control of something in their life.
A greater percentage will keep doing it and get sneaker at it.
 
I just keep my phone in a cradle next to me connected to a charging lead so it's also connected to the car. If it rings then I just press a button where my left thumb is and answer it. And to stop the call just press the same button. Don't have to take my eyes off the road.

Even my entertainment system doesn't let me have the details of the song or singer on the screen like I had in another car. Just shows me the name of the station. Can't do anything with it, except change channels, unless I'm stopped with the handbrake on.😕
 
and yet you have a whole array of stupidity to fiddle with and button push and finger slide in the middle your dash on a screen but that's ok!!
I think with a phone, the distraction COULD BE greater because your focus may shift to the conversation and remove you from the focus on navigating in traffic/driving 🤔.
 
Revenue raising at its finest! Look! I get it, not looking at the road whilst driving is very dangerous, but can someone please explain to me what the difference is between holding your phone in your hand whilst driving and having a conversation with it is any different to holding your steering wheel one-handed whilst talking to the person sitting in your passenger seat? And, yes, I know holding the steering wheel one-handed is illegal too but how many people actually get pinged for doing that as opposed to holding a mobile phone? Everyday I witness hundreds of people driving one-handed and I see cops driving straight past them without pulling them over. I also witness cops driving and talking on handheld devices all the time. Why are they allowed to? Why is it safe for them to be talking on a mobile device whilst driving? Why is it ok for them to not have proper control of their vehicle? Often they hold their two-way microphone and talk on it whilst involved in a high speed chase! But that, apparently, is different! How? I don’t know.
As for hidden cameras and radar traps, I’m all for that. If you’re not speeding or doing anything wrong you won’t get sprung!
they can only revenue raise from the idiots that do wrong. if yoou do not know why cops can do this then go back to school.
 

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