Hunter motorists are being fined at more than twice the statewide average for handling a mobile phone while driving.
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Transport for NSW revealed the alarming figure following the recent installation of a new set of cameras at Hannell Street, Wickham. The department has refused to disclose the purpose of the cameras but the Newcastle Herald understands they are capable of detecting motorists holding a mobile phone.
A portable mobile phone detection camera has made regular appearances around Newcastle over the past 18 months. The camera, which is regularly seen operating near Hunter Stadium, was this week situated on City Road, Merewether Heights.
It is one of 31 fixed and portable cameras operating across the state. The artificial intelligence-based cameras detect potential offending drivers as they pass by. Several stages of human review and adjudication are then undertaken before a penalty notice will be issued.
Revenue NSW statistics show cameras caught 159,536 motorists handling a mobile phone while driving last financial year. The offences netted the state government a whopping $63,189,632 in fines revenue.
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By comparison, police booked 10,753 motorists for mobile phone offences, totalling $3,799,447 in fines.
A Hunter Region breakdown of camera-detected offences was not available on Tuesday night, however Transport for NSW said at the end of July 2022, the rate of camera-detected mobile phone offences in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie regions was 1 in 227 drivers detected (or 0.44 per cent).
This is higher than the state-wide rate of 1 in 497 drivers detected (or 0.20 per cent) at the end of July 2022.
The rate of camera detected mobile phone offences in NSW has dropped from 1 in 82 drivers, during the pilot period from January to June 2019, to 1 in 497 drivers at the end of July 2022.
It followed international research that mobile phone use while driving is associated with at least a four-fold increase in the risk of having a casualty crash, while texting increases the crash risk even further. Studies have also shown that when a motorist takes their eyes off the road more than two seconds their risk of having a crash doubles.
The NRMA has said it strongly supports the use of mobile phone detection cameras to target driver distraction and improve road safety. However, it says the introduction of mobile phone detection cameras without warning signs represents a missed opportunity to educate motorists.
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Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
