Adelaide’s newly installed mobile phone detection cameras have captured a staggering 2544 drivers using their phones behind the wheel in just their first week of operation, leading to $1.67 million in fines.
Three repeat offenders have already been caught so many times that they’ve been stripped of their licences.
“At the end of the day, the simple way to avoid a fine or stop losing your licence is just not to use a phone while driving,” Superintendent Darren Fielke said.
He said the three drivers who lost their licences had received warning letters during the initial grace period.
“It is baffling and disappointing because we’ve been speaking this message for a number of weeks,” Fielke said.
However, police say the primary objective of the new cameras isn’t revenue raising but changing dangerous driving habits.
“This has always been about changing driver behaviour,” Fielke said.
“If this takes fines and losing licenses to change behaviour, that is what we’re relieved for.”
The statistics indicate the cameras’ presence is having the desired impact, with the number of drivers caught using their phones dropping compared to the grace period.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
