From Saturday July 1, drivers caught through Victoria’s new mobile device and seatbelt detection cameras – which began operation in April this year – will face fines of up to $577.
The new high-tech road safety cameras were being trialled by the Victorian Government. Between April and May this year, the cameras detected 7160 offences, including 3523 drivers and 767 passengers not wearing seatbelts and 2870 drivers using mobile phones.
The cameras use AI technology to capture high-resolution images of vehicles and detect offences.
Up until Saturday, drivers caught out were issued with an advisory letter through a three month grace period.
With the grace period now over, drivers face penalties of four demerit points and a $577 fine when caught using a mobile phone while driving, and three demerit points and a $385 fine for drivers and passengers not wearing a seatbelt.
“We know that driver distraction is a major contributor to serious and fatal collisions, and the time for complacency is over,” said Minister for Police Anthony Carbines.
“These cameras will be deployed all over the state and they will catch those drivers not buckled up or distracted by phones.”
There are currently four camera trailer systems in operation, enforcing more than 8000 hours each month. The cameras can be deployed to up to 200 locations in rural and metropolitan areas. A further two camera trailer systems will be operational in the coming months.
The Victorian Government has invested $33.7 million in the new cameras as part of the Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030.
Addtionally, a further $49.4 million has been invested towards 35 new Fixed Digital Road Safety Cameras, and two new Point-to-Point networks.
The next phase of these cameras will begin enforcement on July 11, 2023, with two new cameras in operation in Coolaroo and Narre Warren.
The roll out of the remaining road safety cameras will continue to take a phased approach, with 20 intersection sites to be complete by the end of the year and the entire program to be completed by 2026.
Upgrading road safety camera sites along the Hume Freeway is also underway, including works at ten existing road safety camera sites and installing additional road safety cameras at four new sites, extending the existing Hume Freeway point-to-point network from Broadford to Euroa.
More information on the mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras is available here.