Queensland unveils new covert speed cameras

Queensland motorists better keep an eye on their speedos when approaching roadworks or school zones from now on, because the state government is rolling out new covert speed cameras disguised as heavy machinery and powered road signs.

Launched as part of Road Safety Week, the cameras will be rolled out across metropolitan and regional Queensland in “high-risk locations” as part of a pilot program to commence next month and authorities warn they can pop up “anywhere, anytime”.

“I’m pleased to announce that new cameras will target speeding drivers in both school and roadworks zones to keep Queensland kids and workers safe,” Queensland transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey said.

“I don’t want to see another roadworker killed or someone’s child badly injured on their way to school just because of the recklessness of a speeding driver.”

The pilot program will run until the end of April 2024 and employ portable high-tech speed cameras attached to powered road signs.

Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads says it will use the cameras to assess if their presence impacts the speed motorists travel in school zones and through roadworks.

It says motorists disobeying school zones and roadworks signs present a potential road safety risk to all road users. In 2021, 277 lives were lost on Queensland roads and a further 6595 people were seriously injured in road crashes.

Of those fatalities, 74 people died as a result of road crashes involving speeding motorists – almost 26 per cent of road deaths in the state. 

The QDTMR said speed cameras integrated with speed signs will be rotated across prioritised school zones and roadwork sites that have been identified as high-risk areas.

At school zones, the cameras will be attached to flashing school zone signs and will operate during school zone hours.

The pilot is expected to improve safety for school crossing supervisors because the cameras will be activated when a crossing supervisor enters the roadway, monitoring and recording any near misses, traffic incidents, or high-risk road safety incidents,” said QDTMR.

At roadworks, the cameras will be mounted in a specially designed smart tracked platform and operate 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

The initiative has garnered support from the Queensland Police Service, with superintendent Janelle Andrews declaring there would be no apologies for enforcing speed limits in high-risk zones.

“No one wants to carry the guilt of the death or injury of a child walking to or from school, or a roadworker simply carrying out their job,” she said.

“These new speed cameras force drivers to slow down in order to avoid a fine or incur demerit points, there is no penalty for doing the right thing.”

The new camera rollout follows on from the increased speeding penalties that came into effect in the state as of July 1, which now involves a $287 fine and one demerit point being issued to drivers caught doing between 1-10km/h over the speed limit, while doing 11-20km/h over will land you a $431 fine and three demerits.

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