The Truth About Speed Cameras

[LoudPipes]

The truth about speed cameras

Date: September 5, 2014
David McCowen
Motoring Writer


There is plenty of conjecture surrounding the policing of speed in Australia. We look at 10 motoring myths to help breakdown misunderstandings surrounding speed.

It's one of the fastest ways to ruin your day. Flashing lights fill the rear view mirror, an icy feeling pierces your chest and that mixture of guilt, frustration and anger curdles as the officer strides toward your door.

There is plenty of conjecture surrounding speed in Australia. The government will tell you speed is a killer and that you are risking life and limb by travelling a few kilometres per hour more than its limits.

You may have heard it all before - the police are out to get you, they need to fill their quotas and keep state accounts running smoothly. Their equipment is infallible, you can't fight fines and a clean record will do nothing for you if the radar says you've done the wrong thing.

The myths, misconceptions and old wives' tales surrounding speed are numerous. We spoke with authorities, consulted police equipment manuals and talked to speed experts in order to break down myths and reinforce 10 truths you can take to the bank.



Police radar and laser equipment does not work over the horizon

It's an old common spot of advice that motorists crossing the red centre may hear – "be careful on the road, police can book you several kilometres away, you won't even see them".

That's not true as police speed detection equipment needs a direct, uninterrupted line of sight to its target. Special military radars can look over the horizon, but they are not used to keep track of speeding motorists.

Speed guns don't work well in the rain

Speed detection equipment works by sending a series of signals from a device, bouncing that signal off a target vehicle, and measuring the distance it travels in a set time.

Poor weather can affect the accuracy of radar and laser-based speed detection equipment.

Operating guidelines for the Stalker brand of speed gun say "Rain absorbs and scatters the LIDAR signal. This reduces the range and increases the possibility of obtaining readings from the speed of the raindrops".

The operator's manual for another common brand of speed gun says "visibility conditions also affect the performance of the ProLaser III ... atmospheric or climatic conditions that impair vision also adversely affect the operation".

A Victoria Police spokesman told Drive "certain weather conditions may have an impact on the speed detector's effective operational range".

"Operators trained to use speed detectors are instructed on the impact of weather and can identify adverse effects caused by weather conditions," he says.

Speed detection equipment is always accurate

Speed guns must be calibrated to standards monitored by the National Association of Testing Authorities. Victorian police calibrate speed guns annually to make sure they meet legislative requirements.

NSW police say "all speed measuring devices comply with Australian and national standards", but as with most states they do not publish acceptable margins for error.

Victorian legislation states analogue roadside speed cameras must have a margin for error of less than 3km/h or 3 per cent of a given speed, which drops to 2 per cent or 2km/h for digital devices, such as handheld laser speed guns.

While police equipment must be accurate, operational errors can have a negative effect for motorists. An instruction manual for one type of speed device says failing to hold the laser gun steady can exacerbate readings, and that a twitch that moves the laser beam from a car's grille to the passenger compartment can increase speed readings by more than 10km/h.

Speeding fines consultant Scott Cooper says it is easy for police to fine the wrong car at long distances.

"Any tremor of the human hand will make this thing cover half a football field – in multiple vehicle situations, [police] will not know which vehicle returned a reading," he says.

"There is nothing that device can do in court to prove when, where or what vehicle that came from."

Equipment can dob in the wrong car

Cooper says police equipment is not as accurate as people expect it to be.

"Everyone expects when they hear the word 'laser' that this thing is firing a pinpoint, thin red beam at massive distances. I'm here to tell you it does not," he says.

"It fires a beam that spreads out like a torch, and at 300 metres the beam width on a ProLaser III is 1.2 metres, that's a massive circle."

An operator's manual for the Stalker speed measurement laser says police need to be careful when booking motorists in traffic.

It says that over distance, "the beam becomes wide enough that some separation between targets is necessary to insure accurate target identification".

"The beam does get proportionally wider as distances increase. It is suggested, in heavy traffic and multi-lane usage, that speeds be obtained at the shorter distances to assure proper target identification."

Drivers can ask to see evidence used against them

Police are not always required to show exactly what their equipment has recorded, but may do so to demonstrate why a motorist has been stopped.

When speeding motorists are caught in NSW, drivers can later visit a police station and view footage of the incident.

Victoria police say "motorists are entitled to ask for a speed readout and officers are encouraged to invite drivers to inspect the speed reading, but they are not legally required to do so before issuing a ticket".

Highway patrol do not operate on a quota system

Some police agencies deny there is a quota system compelling officers to book a set number of people each month.

But Australian governments budget on receiving about $2 billion in traffic fines each year, money that is relied upon by state treasuries.

NSW Police did not address Drive's question asking whether quotas are in place, while a Victoria Police spokesman insists quotas are not used.

"Quotas for vehicle stops are a common misconception, there are no and never have been quotas in place for the highway patrol," he says.

"Motorists can be stopped anywhere, at any time, by any member of Victoria Police and be asked to do a breath test and license check."

An Adelaide newspaper recently published a police email exchange that hinted at a quota arrangement.

"We fell below our expected returns for traffic contacts for the last reporting period," an email said.

"We'll hammer those poor people who choose to drive when we're night shift."

South Australian Police Commissioner Gary Burns responded by saying "there are no quotas", but there were benchmarks for the minimum number of people police should interact with.

"However, I, and the executive, make no secret of the fact that we have broad road safety benchmarks. These are not quotas.

"The most important issue is that a driver who has done the wrong thing is spoken to and dealt with in some manner - documented caution, [traffic infringement notice], report or arrest."

Radar detectors can help avoid trouble

In all states except Western Australia, radar detectors are more likely to get you into trouble than out of it.

Radar detectors are illegal to use in all states and territories except WA. Many police patrol cars are equipped with sensors that seek out radar detectors or jammers, helping police to find and confiscate illegal equipment.

A small number of businesses in WA sell anti-radar devices, with one website promising its equipment is "100 per cent undetectable by all police radar detectors".

A radar detector salesman who preferred not to be named would not say how many units are shipped to eastern states, and that once units were received by customers, "what the individual does is up to the individual".

It may be possible to effectively use radar detectors east of the Nullarbor, but drivers risk losing their licence and paying thousands in fines if caught doing so.

Demerit points apply if you are booked interstate

Improved communication between state road and police authorities means that fines accrued while travelling within Australia follow drivers to their home state. If a Victorian driver is caught speeding in the Northern Territory, they pay a fine to the NT government, but demerit points are applied by the state that issues their licence.

Police can let me off with a warning

Victoria Police policy is that officers "are able to exercise discretion for breaches of a minor nature".

South Australian Police Commissioner Gary Burns says police will "always maintain the ability to apply discretion".

NSW police may be less friendly. A spokeswoman for the force says an average of more than 575 people were booked for speeding every day in July, and "those that continue to risk their own lives and those of other road users when speeding will most certainly be identified and prosecuted".

Good behaviour could get you out of trouble

In some circumstances, a proven record as a safe driver can help motorists to escape conviction for minor offences.

Victorian drivers can apply for an internal review of their alleged offence and may have fines replaced with an official warning. Drivers who are booked by multiple speed cameras in a short period, or receive a rash of fines in the mail without an adequate chance to modify their behaviour, can apply to have fines withdrawn.

Other speeding offences may require that drivers have not been issued with a traffic infringement or official warning for the past two or three years, and that they do not deny committing the offence.

NSW motorists can challenge traffic fines in court. Even if the motorist is found guilty, magistrates may apply a "section 10" legal bond, which does not record a fine, conviction or any other form of punishment against the driver. Motorists cannot apply for more than one section 10 bond during any five-year period.

Drivers who run out of demerit points in NSW can also elect to be of good behaviour for 12 months, on the proviso that accruing a further two demerit points will see their driving ban doubled.

As with NSW, South Australian and Queensland drivers who exceed the maximum permissible number of demerit points can swap a suspension for a period of good behaviour as long as they do not acquire more than a set number of demerit points over the course of a year.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/the-truth-about-speed-cameras-20140903-10awi1.html

[Blue Roo]

We all know that Speed Cameras are nothing more than Revenue Raising. for the State and Federal Governments.

[zilo]

Let's not confuse police interaction with the public with the blatant, automated, privatised hidden technology that are speed cameras.

Even police hate the private operators...it does them out of justifying their head count.

[The Monty]

The truth about speed cameras : They catch people who speed, speeding. The end.

[satria]

Originally Posted by The Monty

The truth about speed cameras : They catch people who speed, speeding. The end.

Hypothetical for you, what if someone is travelling perfectly at the speed limit then gets wrongly detected and issued a fine for speeding? One point this article is trying to make is that speed detectors and the methods in which their operators use them are not perfect.

I also like how the officer won't admit to a 'quota' but does admit they have 'benchmarks'. Call me cynical but I read that to be the same fricken thing and also he is referring to highway patrols, what about regular traffic cops?

[Charliewool]

No win thread.. Every single time they end in tears.
No doubt will end with the usual wowser comments along the usual lines of... "If you don't speed who you won't get pinged"

[M&Ms]

I challenge any government to turn off all speed cameras for 12 months and prove it has had an impact on accident rates and the road toll... truth is, the number of bingles will probably reduce!

[Blue Roo]

Originally Posted by M&Ms

I challenge any government to turn off all speed cameras for 12 months and prove it has had an impact on accident rates and the road toll... truth is, the number of bingles will probably reduce!

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by M&Ms

I challenge any government to turn off all speed cameras for 12 months and prove it has had an impact on accident rates and the road toll... truth is, the number of bingles will probably reduce!

For one thing it will stop all the braking and slowing down that occurs at the speed camera locations. I have to disengage my cruise control to avoid running into the rears of the cars that had just overtaken me while I was at the speed limit (and my speedo is 100% accurate).

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by satria

I also like how the officer won't admit to a 'quota' but does admit they have 'benchmarks'. Call me cynical but I read that to be the same fricken thing and also he is referring to highway patrols, what about regular traffic cops?

I am pretty confident there is no quota, I would say as a highway officer on the road all day you would have to give out 'some' tickets as that is his job, it would be pretty impossible to drive around for a 10 hour shift and not hand out a few tickets.

I just drove 450km today coming home from holidays and could have handed out 20 tickets, and probably gave out 30 warnings without even trying. If you read the article above in mentions 'traffic contacts' bench mark, not fines issued bench marks, ie conducting 100 stationary RBT's, or stopping 20 vehicles per shift might be one of those bench marks.

By the way highway officers are regular traffic cops, they are one and the same. There are a lot of specialised fields in the police, 80% probably have not issued a ticket in the last 5 years. Highway/traffic/road enforcement etc what ever you want to call them is one such branch who's core responsibility it is to 'reduce road trauma'

By the way the heading of this thread says "The Truth About Speed Cameras" then does not mention anything about speed camaeras and goes to explain how police radar equipment works, again two very diffenrt and unrelated things.

[STINKY NINJA]

So long as you never drive faster than raindrops you will be fine...

[xxx000]

The 'story' is a mishmash that gets rehashed from time to time

nothing new or newsworthy in there

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

I am pretty confident there is no quota .............

There is a quota in Qld. I don't care who want's to deny it but I have heard it direct from the horses mouth. And before any of you "don't speed and you won't get caught" dweebs ask who told me ... get a life.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Highway/traffic/road enforcement etc what ever you want to call them is one such branch who's core responsibility it is to 'reduce road trauma'

You don't get out much, do you ?

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

By the way the heading of this thread says "The Truth About Speed Cameras" then does not mention anything about speed camaeras and goes to explain how police radar equipment works, again two very diffenrt and unrelated things.

That's probably because it's the title of the Drive article, complain to Drive not the OP.

[Stefan]

Unrelated but related I heard Duncan Gaye on radio this morning, they asked why there is a 250% increase in fines revenue..."drivers are getting worse" was his answer.

An increase in radars / cameras et al. probably has nothing to do with it.

Interesting to hear that 80% of "safety" camera fines are for redlight infringments. Hard to get speeding fines in Sydney as you only get to about 30kph in most cases.

I got done on a redlight camera just a few months back...I notice in peak hour on one of the intersection I frequent to phasing is very short, so it only lets 2 or 3 cars though at a time. I see people get caught every day at the intersection. The phasing is designed to catch you out, drivers dont expect to be green for only 5 seconds.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Stefan

I got done on a redlight camera just a few months back...I notice in peak hour on one of the intersection I frequent to phasing is very short, so it only lets 2 or 3 cars though at a time. I see people get caught every day at the intersection. The phasing is designed to catch you out, drivers dont expect to be green for only 5 seconds.

Even then I've seen more and more people running red lights. But they don't wanna go over the speed limit. So now there are bigger risks of serious accidents then going over by a few.

[GASWAGON]

Dont speed.....Wont get caught! So dont give them your hard earned doh either!

[burnz]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Unrelated but related I heard Duncan Gaye on radio this morning, they asked why there is a 250% increase in fines revenue..."drivers are getting worse" was his answer.

An increase in radars / cameras et al. probably has nothing to do with it.

Interesting to hear that 80% of "safety" camera fines are for redlight infringments. Hard to get speeding fines in Sydney as you only get to about 30kph in most cases.

I got done on a redlight camera just a few months back...I notice in peak hour on one of the intersection I frequent to phasing is very short, so it only lets 2 or 3 cars though at a time. I see people get caught every day at the intersection. The phasing is designed to catch you out, drivers dont expect to be green for only 5 seconds.

yes the RTA was sued for changing the amber light from 0.8 seconds to 0.4 seconds in a 70 k zone in order to extract moneys.

I speak of Stockton ave and newbridge rd chipping Norton.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Even then I've seen more and more people running red lights. But they don't wanna go over the speed limit. So now there are bigger risks of serious accidents then going over by a few.

Not condoning it, but my guess is most of the people caught by a red light camera are in peak hour traffic when they are stuck at a set of lights, behind 20 cars and the traffic light is designed to let through 3 cars at a time. Now the 4th car already having waited 3 or 4 traffic light changes tries to scoot through on amber but gets caught on the red....Click...400 bucks.

In the above scenario I don't consider that the guy scooting through traffic but getting caught by a red is likely to kill someone.... considering the other light would not even be green yet.

There should be a 4 or 5 second grace in these conditions buy hey red light camera revenue would all but disappear as I doubt there are many people going through a full on red light.

Short phasing is designed to create revenue pure and simple.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by burnz

yes the RTA was sued for changing the amber light from 0.8 seconds to 0.4 seconds in a 70 k zone in order to extract moneys.

I speak of Stockton ave and newbridge rd chipping Norton.

I heard a rumor about the shorter ambers, never knew it was true.

Scum bags.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Stefan

I got done on a redlight camera just a few months back...I notice in peak hour on one of the intersection I frequent to phasing is very short, so it only lets 2 or 3 cars though at a time. I see people get caught every day at the intersection. The phasing is designed to catch you out, drivers dont expect to be green for only 5 seconds.

So you frequent the intersection?? You knew the phasing was short?? You see people get caught EVERY DAY, yet you still got caught??

Need I say more??? I don't think so, I think you have said it all yourself

Originally Posted by burnz

yes the RTA was sued for changing the amber light from 0.8 seconds to 0.4 seconds in a 70 k zone in order to extract moneys.

I speak of Stockton ave and newbridge rd chipping Norton.

Any proof of this??

As far as I know phasing of orange to red is dependant on the prevailing speed limit, it would be interesting to see the facts about this statement made without any evidence to back it up.

I drove through that intersection for five years almost daily and never noted any short changing, and was well aware of the camera and prevailing speed limit.

[1TUFFUTE]

Yes quotas were deffinately introduced just a few months ago in qld.

So if they admit they can be up to 2 or3 ks out.......and every car brand has a different speed at 100klm for eg(most car tests report a indicated speed at 100klms).......then how on earth can they book anyone unless they're at least 5 over the limit. There seems too much variation to be so nasty on the numbers!

Where I am I've heard many times of them pinning people in school zones for being ONE k over.

[Shonky.]

Mr 351 Coupe, honest question, not trolling, and sorry for the slight off topic, but as you correctly pointed out the original article was a bit of a mess anyway.

If you were crossing the road, perhaps with kids or in some scenario in which you were vulnerable and relied upon an oncoming motorist to stop suddenly, would you prefer to take your chances on someone doing say 68km/hr and watching dead ahead the whole time, or someone doing bang on 60, but checking their speedo frequently for fear of getting a fine, or if they believe the road safety messages to avoid hurting someone?

A loaded question I know, but as a cop you are likely to have quoted the stopping distance argument that I have heard just before receiving a ticket.

Stopping distance is the combination of reaction time and then the pure physics of inertia vs friction. I of course accept that every k over increases the mechanical stopping distance, but is a tipping point reached where motorists are in aggregate too obsessed ( or more accurately scarred) to look up from their speedo for fear of going over the limit by even a km or 2 and then dramatically increasing their potential reaction time?

I guess I mean is 100% attention at 70km/hr better or worse than 80% attention at 60km/hr?

I'd love to know if any research is done on this, but over the years it feels like motorists are slowing down, but becoming less and less aware of what is going on. I think we are all safer for having reduced the number of people who are flying too low, rather than driving too fast, but has the speeding thing gone too far?

[Franco Cozzo]

If you don't know that the new SUV sitting on the side of the road is a speed camera than you deserve to be booked.

By now everyone knows where all the speed cameras are on the ring road too, under the signs or bridges heh.

Theres a reason why there is a CCTV camera pointing directly at the variable speed sign before you go under the bridge.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

So you frequent the intersection?? You knew the phasing was short?? You see people get caught EVERY DAY, yet you still got caught??

Need I say more??? I don't think so, I think you have said it all yourself

Why did you bother posting this? Just an opportunity to put the boot in? Bored? Drunk? Or just to be a f...wit?

Read the post again (maybe dop it slower), obviously two different intersections I'm talking about.

[steve.zissou]

speeding is the cause of less than 7% of accidents and that includes when people are going under the speed limit but still too fast for the conditions. http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/__data/***..._Book_2011.pdf

just maybe, and this is a bit of a reach, focus on the other 93+% of causes.

If speed cameras cause people to slow down, how come speed camera revenue increases each year .

But the RTA billboard says car accidents have reduced XX% since speed cameras were introduced - Go back to school moron, correlation doesn't = causation. I guess the fact that cars have abs, sbc, tc, better tires, better suspension, crash avoidance systems have nothing to do with the decrease - it all speed cameras right.

but all the speeding fines get spent on road improvements and road safety. - Yep, so as the govt i deduct $xxx million from the road budget and replace it with $XX from fine revenue. So yes, technically it does go to road safety but the govt also just got a bucket load more money to spend on new parliamentary offices.

I gave up and moved to the country. no speed cameras, drive to conditions and when the HWY patrol are about doing their revenue raising we dont just flash other drivers, we call our neighbour to warn them. If some one is driving dangerously, we talk to them about it and they stop driving like a jerk

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Not condoning it, but my guess is most of the people caught by a red light camera are in peak hour traffic when they are stuck at a set of lights, behind 20 cars and the traffic light is designed to let through 3 cars at a time. Now the 4th car already having waited 3 or 4 traffic light changes tries to scoot through on amber but gets caught on the red....Click...400 bucks.

No I'm talking out of peak times. Medium to low traffic. Will sit under the speed limit but will run the read light....and sometimes the car behind will do it. There is a certain intersection near my folks place and mum was nearly cleaned up twice. If she had have taken off quickly (not gonna happen) who knows what would have happened. To me its people that have been conditioned to the speed kills mantra.

Just this weekend I was driving up to Shepparton and sitting on the Goldburn I have this car that must have been doing 1kph faster then me and goes to overtake (two lane HWY part). So 2 minutes later they start to get into my blind spot and I'm getting closer to the car in front of me and need to overtake them. I get past the car in front (had plenty of room to do it as I hit the gas and heaven forbid I was 10kph over the limit for a whole 20 seconds). Now a little further down the road the same car catches up and starts to do this over take thing again. BTW I had CC so my speed wasn't varying. But this slow overtake thing happens more and more because people don't wanna be pinched by the HP cops.

[lucas2]

Here we go...(apologies for the long article)

Accompanying 7 news story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMyxWf78uyU#t=10

VICTORIA Police will launch its longest and biggest ever traffic blitz.

(heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/victoria-police-launch-biggest-ever-fourmonth-traffic-blitz-on-speeding-drunk-and-drug-drivers/story-fni0fee2-1227051742918)

It will involve roads being saturated day and night with mobile speed cameras, radar guns, booze and drug buses and every available marked and unmarked police car and motorcycle.
The Herald Sun has been told the footy finals, Spring Racing Carnival and Phillip Island MotoGP will be singled out for special attention during the force’s unprecedented four month “mega blitz”.
Top traffic cop assistant commissioner Robert Hill said the mega blitz finale will be a mammoth operation during the notoriously dangerous Christmas holiday period.
He revealed radical tactics during the 114 day blitz will include what police have dubbed “lockdowns”.

These lockdown operations will see every motorist driving out of Melbourne, or across the suburbs, having to pass — and possibly be stopped by — a police vehicle or drug or booze bus either on the freeway system or on the roads leading to freeways and major arterial roads.

Police Minister Kim Wells told the Herald Sun funding had been provided to enable mobile speed cameras to be used for an extra 1000 hours between now and the end of the year.
Nights on which office Christmas parties are traditionally held will also be a major focus, with police blitzing pedestrians and drivers.
A special operation known as “Bigwheels” will focus on speeding, drug and other offences being committed by truck drivers in rural Victoria.
The aim of the mega blitz is to beat last year’s record low road toll.
It has been ordered because more people have died on the state’s roads so far this year than at the same time last year and police fear that upward trend will continue unless drastic action is taken.

On Tuesday, Mr Hill will use a use a joint press conference with Mr Wells to vow to use all available resources from across the force to keep as many Victorians as possible alive during the last few months of 2014.
He confidentially predicted more motorists would be subjected to alcohol breath tests and random roadside drug tests in the next four months than at any other time in the state’s history.
“I make no apologies for the intended blitz,” Mr Hill told the Herald Sun.
“The 2013 road toll of 242 deaths was 40 less than 2012 and the lowest since 1924.
“Victoria’s road toll is now 12 more than at the same time last year.


“This four month blitz is to try to reverse that trend and get the state’s road toll below 242 by the end of 2014.
“Road users will see a significant and highly visible presence on our roads by police members between now and December 31.”
Mr Wells said the additional 1000 hours of mobile speed camera use would cover big events like the AFL finals and the Spring Racing Carnival.
“Ad campaigns will also run throughout this period, reminding people how one simple mistake can change your life,” Mr Wells told the Herald Sun.
“This is all backed up by last week’s announcement of $4.5 million to be spent on 100,000 roadside drug driver tests, which more than doubles the annual amount.

“While every death on our roads is a tragedy, this year we have also lost three children under the age of four.
“People need to think about their own kids before they take the wheel after drinking or taking drugs. People need to think about their own kids when they decide to speed.”
Mr Hill said Victoria Police’s futuristic new traffic cameras will be in regular use during the blitz, which starts today.
Operators of these “supercams” can zoom in to snap motorists who aren’t wearing seatbelts or who are using mobile phones to text, talk or tweet.
Maximum use will also be made between now and the end of the year of the force’s six hi-tech BlueNet vehicles, which are fitted with automatic numberplate recognition systems.

Cameras mounted on the front, rear and roof of the BlueNet cars rapidly scan every moving, stationary and parked vehicle they pass, detecting unregistered or stolen cars and identifying owners with outstanding fines.
Mr Hill said he called an extraordinary meeting last month between him and senior executives at the Transport Accident Commission, VicRoads and the Department of Justice to discuss the growing road toll.
“We needed to do something because I wasn’t going to just allow the road toll to continue to climb,” he said.
“It was decided the most effective way to deliver another record low road toll in 2014 was through a combination of enhanced enforcement and education, aimed at raising awareness of everyone’s road safety responsibilities.”
Mr Hill said the TAC had agreed to help fund 43 specific operations between now and the end of the year.

“Having 43 road policing operations over and above our usual year-round, day-to-day enforcement methods is unprecedented,” Mr Hill said.
“These new and targeted operations will run across the state, covering areas from metropolitan Melbourne up to Mildura, Horsham, Echuca and across to Latrobe.”
Seven of Victoria’s 54 police service areas have also been identified through road accident data as being particularly bad for crashes which cause serious injuries or fatalities.
Mr Hill said funding had been set aside to ensure the four-month blitz was extended in those seven areas right through to the end of June next year.
The areas to be subjected to this extended blitz are Melbourne, Geelong, Monash, Yarra Ranges, Casey, Mornington Peninsula and Greater Dandenong.

“These seven areas have been singled out because, effectively, the statistics show they are our areas of high risk,” Mr Hill said.
“They need special attention over the financial year, not just between now and the end of 2014.”
Mr Hill said the mega blitz would focus on the footy finals this month.
“We know during this period there is significant risk both in the city and across Victoria because of the celebrations prior, during and after the games,” he said.
“That will take us to October, where there will be a strong focus on motorcyclists for the month.
“That is both because of the Phillip Island motorcycle grand prix and the fact with the warmer weather we see more motorcycles being taken out of the garage by seasonal recreational riders.
“The Spring Racing Carnival and Melbourne Cup week are also high risk times of the year.
“Then we have December and the end of year break-ups and Christmas parties, which will have a strong focus from us on drink and drug driving.
“We had 30 people killed in December last year, that’s something we don’t want replicated this year.
“The whole of Victoria Police has been engaged, with the support of Chief Commissioner Ken Lay and our deputy and assistant commissioners, to ensure we have the resources we need to sustain this four month blitz.
“We will be focusing on every road user, with particular emphasis on tackling speeding drivers and riders to reduce the average speed across the system.
“We know that’s a challenge to us in terms of changing that culture across society.
“Enforcement is the key, but we need to change people’s attitudes to driving on drugs, talking on their mobile phones and high and low range speeding.
“We have done exceptionally well at changing the drink driving culture over the past 30 years through a strong campaign that is admired around the world.
“But we haven’t been as successful at this point in time in making speeding as socially unacceptable as drink driving.”
Mr Hill said the 2014 road toll was particularly high because of a spate of quadruple and triple fatalities.
“There have actually been fewer collisions involving a fatality or fatalities this year than last, but more fatalities because of the number of collisions which resulted in multiple deaths.
“Every death on our roads is a tragedy; we don’t want to knock on any more families’ doors to tell them they have lost a loved one.
“We’re asking people to stay alert, stay sober, stay within the speed limit and, most importantly, stay alive.”
Part of the TAC’s contribution to the mega blitz is a $1 million cash injection to pay for police overtime hours during the special operation to ensure a strong visible presence on the roads.
“The partnership approach towards improving road infrastructure, promoting vehicle safety technologies and educating road users about the dangers of speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue and distraction, along with enhanced police enforcement, has resulted in year on year record low road tolls,” TAC chief executive Janet Dore told the Herald Sun.
“However with the road toll currently higher that this time last year; it is a timely reminder for every road user to make sure they take responsibility for the way they use the roads as we move towards our vision of a state where every journey is a safe one.”

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

No win thread.. Every single time they end in tears.
No doubt will end with the usual wowser comments along the usual lines of... "If you don't speed who you won't get pinged"

Quoted for truth.

/end thread

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by lucas2

Here we go...(apologies for the long article)

Accompanying 7 news story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMyxWf78uyU#t=10

VICTORIA Police will launch its longest and biggest ever traffic blitz.

I'd be pleased if one of our Vic members would get back to us here to say if there was any extra Police activity during the 'Blitz' period.

It's been my experience that in any State where they publicly announce a Blitz I see less Police on the road.

Usually when the Police have a blitz you only know about it when you've been stopped.