In one Australian state, drivers caught using their phones while driving will no longer receive mercy from police, who until recently only issued warnings.
Motorists in South Australia will soon be fined $556 and have three demerit points deducted if they are caught using their phones using mobile phone detection cameras.
Police have been testing the new cameras throughout 2024 and have warned drivers they will be fined after a three-month grace period.
The grace period officially ends on Tuesday, September 19.
The cameras are part of a $16 million plan to reduce deaths on South Africa’s roads with the first Mobile phone detection devices introduced in January.
In a two-month trial earlier this year, 71,044 drivers were caught using their phones while driving, and a secondary trial caught another 31,000 motorists in July.
South Australian motorists will soon be fined $556 and given three demerit points if they are caught using a mobile phone while driving (pictured)
Traffic Services Division Superintendent Darren Fielke said the test results had been disappointing.
“The cameras recorded at least one distracted driver driving on their mobile phone less than every two minutes, which shows the magnitude of the distraction problem we have on our roads,” Superintendent Fielke said.
‘We are giving South Australian drivers ample opportunities to change their driving behaviour and stop using their mobile phone while driving during this grace period.
‘Distraction, including mobile phone use, contributes significantly to accidents of all kinds on our roads.
‘Drivers who don’t get the message must change their driving behaviour very quickly, or they will lose their licence, which in some cases could be their livelihood, or worse, they will commit suicide or kill another innocent road user.’
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