Chief Superintendent John Hartley, Commander of Traffic Services, answers your questions on how and where speed radars are used.

A speeding fine is the only tax you can avoid...

Open Road: Is it true that radars don’t book you if you’re exceeding the speed limit by less than 10%?

John Hartley: If you are over the prescribed limit for a section of road, you are speeding. That said, a police officer has a level of discretion and can take a number of matters into consideration at the time of the offence.

OR: When police use handheld radars, why aren’t motorists given the same warning as with fixed speed cameras?

JH: Cameras and radars ensure that motorists comply with speed limits. With handheld radars, the driver is dealt with on the spot providing instant enforcement of the speed limit. Warning signs at fixed camera locations can prevent a situation where a driver may keep passing a camera location and incur infringements repeatedly, as it can take time for their first infringement to arrive in the mail.

OR: Do radars monitor cars travelling towards the radar, away or both?

JH: When mobile, ie. in highway patrol cars, radars measure the speed of approaching vehicles, and when stationary they can measure both approaching and receding speeds.
In addition, Lidars (another type of handheld speed enforcement device) can measure the speed of vehicles travelling in both directions.

OR: Can radars book several cars at a time, or two cars driving parallel in separate lanes?

JH: It’s possible in some circumstances to identify more than one vehicle speeding. This is carried out by the operator observing the target(s). As the lidar is target specific it can identify a single target among other vehicles in any lane.

OR: How do police determine where they will set up the radars?

JH: Speed camera locations take into account areas with an excessive speed or a poor collision history. Mobile and static patrol car operations are usually based on local intelligence.

OR: Why does it take so long to receive a speeding fine? I could be driving without a licence because I’ve lost points for a fine and I’m not even aware of it.

JH: The RTA and Office of State Revenue are responsible for recording and issuing fines relating to traffic offences. Fines for speed camera/red light offences are, generally, issued in 10 working days. The RTA will inform you if you exceed your allocated points.

OR: Radars have often been criticised for simply being revenue raisers. How do you respond to these allegations?
JH: The claim that speed measurement devices are used for revenue raising is probably the oldest myth we deal with. The message is simple: not one cent of revenue is raised if motorists don’t speed. A speeding fine is probably the only tax you can avoid.

OR: There have been instances in the past where the accuracy of radars has been questioned. Are they accurate?

JH: The public can have the highest confidence in the operation and accuracy of the equipment used. The devices are calibrated every six months – exceeding the manufacturer’s recommendations.

OR: How do radars and cameras add to road safety?

JH: Speed is one of the top three causal factors in serious and fatal crashes; the others being alcohol and fatigue. Radars and cameras encourage compliance with speed limits, making a safer road environment.