Infuriated drivers have reportedly inundated a South Australian law firm with claims they were wrongfully fined by the state’s controversial new mobile phone detection cameras.
The five cameras located around Adelaide snapped photos of more than 28,000 road users allegedly using their phones while behind the wheel from October to December, Adelaide Now reports.
But not everything is as it seems, numerous frustrated locals say, with some promising to battle the $556 fine in court — shining a spotlight on the technology that has also left residents of NSW, Victoria and Queensland questioning how effective the cameras actually are.
Traffic lawyer sees dozens of mobile camera fine claims
Since SA introduced fines in September, criminal, traffic and firearms lawyer Karen Stanley said she has seen an influx of complaints.
“I would have had at least 20 to 30 people calling me, some of them with multiple fines,” she told 7News, adding she believes some of the drivers “rightfully have a case” but “there is some ambiguity.”
“One gentleman who contacted me, sent through the photos and he was wearing a high vis shirt with a very visible fluorescent strip down the front, near where the seat belt crosses over him,” she said.
Last year, TfNSW supplied this photo to lawyer Merridy Gordon, claiming she was on her phone. The item on her lap proved to be a piece of banana bread. Source: Supplied
Motorist Ben Digance claims he is one of the unfortunate road users who has been wrongfully targeted. He told 7News “there was no visible phone” in his hand in the image taken and has called for “more review and scrutiny”.
Six months ago a NSW lawyer who was fined $387 and lost 10 demerit points for allegedly touching her phone was awarded $4,000 in court after it was revealed she was actually holding a loaf of banana bread.
More mobile detection cameras to come despite complaints
South Australia’s first mobile phone detection cameras were rolled out last year as part of a $16 million plan to reduce fatalities on roads caused by driver distraction. More are reportedly expected to be placed around the city in the coming months.
Yahoo News reported in June that over a two-month trial period, some seven million motorists were detected on the cameras across the state, and of those 71,044 people were found to have been using their mobile phone behind the wheel.
Motorists were caught in a whole range of illegal and dangerous scenarios, including one who was snapped steering the car with their pinky finger. According to SA Police, the road offences, if detected during a non-trial phase, would have generated more than $45 million in fines — and officers say the cameras weren’t even switched on the entire time.
Yahoo has contacted Revenue SA about its fining process.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.