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Thousands of drivers have been caught touching mobile phones while driving in just the first week of operation Adelaidethe new cell phone detection cameras.
Of the more than 8,000 people caught on the metropolitan area’s cameras, 6,397 have already received warning letters – but SA Police warning, from September 19th, violators will be sent a fine of $658.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Mobile phone detection cameras included in SA for ‘educational phase’.
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In the first week of operation – from June 19 to 25 – more than one million cars passed under the five mobile detection cameras, which were installed in “high-risk” locations in the city.
The cameras are on South Rd in Torrensville, North-South Mwy in Regency Park, Port Wakefield Rd in Gepps Cross, Southern Expressway in Darlington and Port Rd in Hindmarsh.
The cameras recorded 8,603 potential crimes in one week, SA Police said on Friday.
So far, about a third of those drivers have received a warning letter, but police said the incidents are still being processed.
“The number of warning letters may increase as the data is settled over the next few days,” SA Police said.
Superintendent Darren Fielke said earlier this month that the warning letters would be issued during the “educational phase” of the camera rollout.
“They will give you a nice, gentle reminder of the importance of distraction in terms of how it contributes to the tragedy on South Australia’s roads,” he said.
But drivers will soon be dealing with more than a warning.
From September 19, the three-month “grace period” will expire and drivers caught illegally using a mobile device while driving will be issued with an expiry notice.
This will include a $556 fine and three demerit points. Adults will also be subject to a $102 crime victim fee, while drivers under the age of 18 will only have to pay $20 for the fee.
“This is the first time South Australia has had mobile detection cameras,” Fielke said earlier this month.
“We know that distraction is responsible for 25 to 30 percent of the serious injuries and deaths on the state’s roads.
“Cameras are here to change driver behavior.”
The safety initiative cost the state government $15.9 million, but an unexpected problem discovered during a trial phase of the cameras in May could dramatically increase operating costs
The mobile phone detection cameras work using AI technology, but an error has been found to have led to a small number of cases where offenses were linked to the wrong driver, as drivers speeded up and slowed down as they passed the cameras.
The camera system was subsequently “handled very, very carefully”, according to SA Police Minister Dan Cregan at the time.
7NEWS understands that to overcome the system flaw, hundreds of thousands of fines each year will require additional police staff to manually review the images, but Cregan confirmed that no frontline officers will be deployed to carry out the massive task.
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