There has been a recent, unacceptable increase in road trauma in NSW. In February 2024, the government held a Road Safety Forum to explore what could be done about it. One idea was popular – use average speed cameras for light vehicles as well as trucks. Has their time come at last?
Too much road trauma in NSW
NSW is seriously missing its 2030 road safety targets to halve road deaths and reduce serious injuries by 30%. Deaths and serious injuries from road accidents are going up. In the year to early May 2024:
- 364 people have died, up 88 (+32%) on the previous year.
In the year to March 2024:
- 10,021 people were seriously injured, up 380 (+4%) on the previous year.
The NSW Road Safety Forum 2024 report in February 2024 aimed to get the state back on track to meet those targets. It explored a variety of ideas, mostly familiar, which are not in this blog.
One new idea was popular: use average speed cameras for light vehicles as well as trucks.
Average speed cameras are not new
Average speed cameras (often called point-to-point speed cameras) are not new to Australia. All states and territories, except Tasmania and the Northern Territory, use them for light vehicles and trucks.
NSW, with 7 million vehicles, is the only jurisdiction using them just for its 220,000 trucks. The state has less than 40 average speed cameras. Transport for NSW says deaths involving trucks have reduced by 44% in the 25 regional areas where average speed cameras operate.
Meanwhile, they are widely used in Europe, Britain, Italy and the Middle East. Evidence from these countries suggests average speed cameras do help slow down drivers and reduce road trauma. Sweden, with its strong record of road safety, is about to install these cameras.
Pros of average speed cameras
It’s not clear why NSW has not already used average speed cameras for light vehicles. However, using these cameras has a few pros and cons. Supporters claim they:
- Cause drivers to slow down
- Change driver behaviour
- Reduce road trauma
- Do not discriminate by vehicle
- Are fairer than fixed point speed cameras.
Average speed cameras are fairer than fixed speed cameras because they work over a certain distance rather than at one point. Some drivers who learn about a fixed camera may slow down at that point only and then speed away.
Cons of average speed cameras
Meanwhile, there are potential problems because these cameras:
- Are expensive to install
- May appear to be revenue raising
- Are politically sensitive
- Could cause drivers to avoid them
- Are another form of surveillance.
There are concerns about surveillance because average speed cameras record images of all vehicles using that length of road, not just the ones speeding.
However, this is no different from the Safe-T-Cam system used for trucks to enforce average speeds. NSW already uses mobile phone detection cameras, which from 1 July are also being used to enforce seatbelts.
When will we see average speed cameras?
Average speed cameras are going to be trialled on the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes and on the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai. These 15-16km stretches were chosen partly because of their crash history.
Even so, more needs to be done to change the widespread acceptance of speeding. Rural drivers, in particular, are disproportionately likely to die in road accidents. It may also be time to put in speed limits that reflect the actual conditions on rural roads.
Cheaper green slips for safe drivers
Speeding of any kind carries heavy fines and demerit points, especially in school zones. Having one or more demerit points usually increases the price of your green slip, and this penalty lasts for 3 years.
If you are a safe driver, you know your green slip will be cheaper every year. Meanwhile, speed cameras of any kind are not a concern if you always stay within speed limits.
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