New speed traps to be hidden in school zone signs as Sunshine state tops Australia’s state road toll list in 2022
The Queensland state government kicked off its latest road safety campaign this week by embedding hidden speed cameras in school zone signs to catch speeding motorists.
Billed as a world-first technology, the secret speed cameras will pop up in different locations around the state as part of a trial that will end in April 2024.
The Queensland government says they will operate in several “high risk” areas, however, the cameras will only be in operation during school zone hours – between 7:00-9:00am and 2:00-4:00pm on weekdays.
At the same time, a police operation will target speeding drivers in roadwork zones across the state.
It comes as the state government attempts to reduce road trauma and protect vulnerable road users, following a recent RACQ survey that revealed around 50 per cent of Queensland drivers admitted to speeding in a school zone.
Data from the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads revealed more than 70,000 infringement notices were issued for speeding in the state over a four-year period ending April 2022, more than half of which involved drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by between 13km/h and 20km/h.
Queensland transport minister Mark Bailey said the location of the new speed cameras has been carefully considered and selected on a risk basis to protect children.
“The fines will be hefty, painful and you’ll deserve it,” he said.
“I don’t want to see someone’s child badly injured or killed on their way to school just because of the recklessness of a speeding driver.”
Bailey said the cameras would also appear in regional parts of the state, with multiple units to be “regularly moved around”.
“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,” he said.
It comes after the Queensland government launched a separate speed camera operation last year, in which speed cameras were disguised as roadworks machinery erected across roadsides in the state.
It also follows the introduction of harsher penalties for speeding in Queensland from July 2022, since which time travelling 1-10km/h over the limit will cost you $287 and one demerit point, and doing between 11-20km/h will incur a $431 fine and three demerit points.
Despite multiple states – including Queensland – increasing penalties for speeding drivers last year, the sunshine state recorded its worst road toll in more than a decade.
Some 299 lives were lost on Queensland roads in 2022 alone – more than any other state and the highest road toll the Sunshine State has seen since 2009.
Join the conversation at our Facebook page Or email us at [email protected]
Keyword: World-first covert speed cameras for Queensland school zones