How cameras improve safety

Speed and red light cameras play an important role in improving road safety by acting as a deterrent for speeding and red light running.

Deterring speeding and red light running improves the safety of not only the vehicle passing the camera but also other road users, including vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians.

The belief you will get caught and fined is usually sufficient to deter people from speeding or running a red light. Recent evidence supports that this is the case for a majority of South Australians, with 53% of the driving population not detected for any speeding offences during the five financial year periods from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2018, and a further 28% detected for just one speeding offence over the same period.

Research supporting the role of speed and red light cameras

Both Australian and international research supports the role of speed and red light cameras. Although the exact results vary, almost all studies observed a reduction in speed and in the number of road crashes at locations with speed and red light cameras.

• South Australian research conducted by the University of Adelaide, Centre for Automotive Safety Research shows reductions in injury crashes of up to 21% at intersections where a fixed camera was installed.
• An evaluation conducted in Victoria by the Monash University showed a casualty crash reduction of 47% for vehicles travelling from the approaching road where intersection cameras were placed.
• An evaluation report of the New South Wales mid-block fixed speed cameras revealed a 90% reduction in fatal crashes near the speed camera sites.
• An international report on the effectiveness of average speed cameras in Great Britain found a 36.4% reduction in the mean rate of fatal and serious collisions.

About speed and red light cameras