Road safety inquiry believes extending point-to-point cameras to cover all motorists will improve compliance.
An inquiry into road safety in New South Wales wants the point-to-point camera scheme extended beyond heavy vehicles.
Among its 26 recommendations stemming from its inquiry, the Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety has asked the NSW Government to apply the cameras to all motorists to improve compliance with speed limits.
Point-to-point cameras measure the speed of a vehicle between two points to determine its overall speed.
A 2013 review of speed cameras in NSW shows there has been a low number of heavy vehicle crashes and a high level of compliance with speed limits in NSW since point-to-point cameras were introduced.
“The Committee is persuaded by evidence received that point-to-point cameras are highly effective in encouraging adherence to posted speed limits,” the committee’s report says.
The report also recommends mandatory in-vehicle devices be fitted to the vehicles of repeat speeding offenders to make it impossible for them to exceed the posted limit.
It says intelligent speed adaption (ISA) technology can control vehicle speed through regulating the level of fuel input to the engine or via speed retarders.
“Information regarding the position of the vehicle and the speed limit that applies can be obtained via electronic signals transmitted to the vehicle from beacons attached to speed signs or other roadside infrastructure surrounding speed signs. Global positioning system technology also provides this information,” the report says.
According to the committee, a trial in NSW found that 89 per cent of vehicles reduced speeding when fitted with ISA devices.
“Furthermore, research conducted by MUARC [Monash University Accident Research Centre] showed that fitting every vehicle in Australia with intelligent speed adaptation systems would lead to a reduction in road fatalities of 8% and serious injury crashes by up to 6%,” the report says.
The report also makes recommendations around the need for more research into road safety, a review of double demerit points, analysis of speed cameras to determine which type is most effective, a review of speed zones throughout NSW and public education campaigns to dissuade people from low-level speeding.
Committee chair Greg Aplin says the inquiry found that drivers respond well when double demerit points are introduced over holiday periods in tandem with a police presence.
“The visible cue is important, so the committee recommends greater use of electronic variable message boards to let drivers know they should adjust their speed, be it due to weather, hidden hazard, road condition or otherwise,” Aplin says.
“Immediate feedback and improved driver education can help us change our ways on speed and bring greater credibility to road speed advisory signage.”
The NSW Government is yet to formally respond to the inquiry’s recommendations.