Queensland Police Fleet: In-Car Cameras And Beyond

Queensland has a large network of cameras to enforce road safety. These include mobile speed cameras, fixed speed cameras, red light cameras, and combined red light and speed cameras. The state also uses automated number plate recognition cameras to detect unregistered and uninsured vehicles and manage heavy vehicle activities. While these cameras are often associated with police enforcement, it is unclear whether they are installed in police cars or just operated in conjunction with the Queensland Police Service.

Queensland police cars use mobile speed cameras

Mobile speed cameras are used to reduce the risk and severity of road crashes by deterring motorists from speeding. The randomised scheduling of deployments at these sites makes it unpredictable for motorists regarding when and where speed will be enforced. This creates a sense of unpredictability, leading to the notion that cameras can be expected anywhere at any time, even in locations without a history of crashes.

Queensland police officers operating mobile speed cameras can do so from marked or unmarked vehicles, in uniform or plain clothes, at any time of day or night. The combination of marked and unmarked vehicles has been associated with improved road safety outcomes.

In addition to mobile speed cameras, Queensland also employs fixed speed cameras, transportable road safety cameras, and road safety camera trailers to enforce speed limits and improve road safety. These measures aim to reduce speeding-related crashes and fatalities on Queensland roads.

Handheld speed cameras are also used by police officers

The Queensland Police Service has been trialling a new handheld speed camera device called TruCAM. This camera is able to detect speeding drivers and issue tickets without requiring police to make contact with the offender. This allows police to issue more tickets per shift, as they don't need to stop every speeding driver. The cameras are used in addition to mobile speed cameras, which are vehicles fitted with speed camera equipment that can park on the side of the road to monitor traffic.

There are up to 3,500 mobile speed camera sites throughout Queensland, selected using strict criteria, including crash history and high-risk areas such as school zones. Over 90% of crashes saved each year by road safety cameras are attributed to mobile speed cameras. This is due to the randomised scheduling of deployments, creating a sense of unpredictability for motorists. Handheld speed cameras can be used at these sites at any time of day or night, providing flexibility and enhancing enforcement capabilities.

The Queensland Road Safety Action Plan has identified enhancing speed limit enforcement at roadworks as a priority. Speed Camera Trailers, which are deployed in high-risk locations, provide a proven platform for police enforcement in areas that are not safe or practical for mobile speed camera vehicles. These trailers are equipped with security systems and cameras, deterring theft and vandalism. The combination of handheld speed cameras and mobile speed cameras offers a comprehensive approach to speed enforcement, aiming to improve road safety and reduce the risk of crashes.

Queensland police work with Transport and Main Roads to issue fines

Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers work with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to enforce road and traffic laws and issue fines. The QPS uses a range of camera technologies to detect road safety offences and reduce road trauma. These include:

• Mobile speed cameras: These are vehicles fitted with speed camera equipment that can park on the side of the road to monitor the speed of passing traffic.
• Hand-held speed camera devices: These are used by police officers on the side of the road and can also be set up on a tripod.
• Fixed speed cameras: These are permanently installed on roads or at intersections to encourage road users to follow the speed limit.
• Red light cameras: These are located at intersections with traffic lights and take photos of vehicles that fail to stop at red lights.
• Combined red light and speed cameras: These detect both red light and speeding offences at the same time.
• Transportable road safety cameras: These are deployed to high-risk areas in regional and remote parts of Queensland, as well as roadwork sites and school zones.
• Road safety camera trailers: These are highly visible trailers deployed to high-risk areas, including highways and motorways, and are operated by the QPS.
• Point-to-point speed cameras: These enforce speed limits at locations where other types of speed enforcement may be difficult or dangerous.
• Automated number plate recognition cameras: These cameras can detect unregistered and uninsured vehicles and issue infringements automatically.

The QPS also works with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to select camera sites based on crash history and other criteria. The department uses camera-detected offence programs to enforce transport laws and issue fines for various offences, including speeding, red-light running, mobile phone use, and seatbelt violations.

Red light cameras are activated when a vehicle crosses the white stop line

Queensland Police Service uses a range of camera technologies to enforce road safety and manage vehicle activities. While it is unclear if these cameras are installed in police cars, Queensland does utilise fixed, mobile, and transportable road safety cameras.

Red light cameras are a type of road safety camera that is activated when a vehicle crosses the white stop line at an intersection with a red traffic light. These cameras are usually attached to poles or other infrastructure and placed a few meters back from the solid white line. The Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009 states that a driver must stop their vehicle before reaching the white stop line when approaching a red traffic light.

The red light camera system uses trigger technology to detect when a vehicle crosses the line while the light is red. This technology often includes sensors located under the road, which are timed with the lights to trigger the camera. The camera captures two photos in quick succession, providing evidence that the vehicle ran the red light.

The photographs taken by the red light camera include important details such as the date, time, lane position, and the amount of time the light was red. If the camera also monitors speed, the vehicle's speed and the local speed limit will be included. The images are then reviewed by the relevant authorities, who can take enforcement action if necessary.

Red light cameras are installed at high-risk intersections, typically those with a history of crashes or a high potential for serious crashes. These cameras operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to deter motorists from running red lights and help reduce the risk of road crashes.

Queensland police use covert speed cameras in work zones

Queensland has introduced mobile speed cameras disguised as large yellow boxes in work zones and school zones. These cameras are designed to look like heavy machinery, with the yellow box sitting on top of a mobile platform with heavy-duty grader tracks. The covert speed cameras were unveiled during the launch of Queensland's Road Safety Week and were tested for two years before being approved for full-time use.

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads will issue fines from these cameras, which are operated in conjunction with the Queensland Police Service. The use of these covert speed cameras is part of an effort to reduce speeding and the number of road crashes, which have been linked to speed-related fatalities and serious injuries. Speeding is a major cause of fatalities on Queensland roads, and the use of speed cameras is intended to deter motorists from dangerous driving behaviours.

The covert speed cameras combine a high-tech camera with a road sign advising drivers of the correct speed limit. They are placed near roadworks and in school zones to monitor the speed of passing traffic. The cameras are rotated regularly to keep people from speeding and to establish general deterrence across the road network.

Queensland uses a diverse range of speed camera technologies to suit different road environments, traffic conditions, and the nature of crashes. In addition to covert speed cameras, the state also employs mobile speed cameras, hand-held speed camera devices, fixed speed cameras, and transportable road safety cameras. These cameras are placed in areas with a history of speed-related crashes or a high risk of speeding, such as school zones and roadwork sites, to protect the health and safety of road workers.

Frequently asked questions