A new state-wide campaign, Caught in a Flash, has been launched to remind drivers that safety camera enforcement will begin across Western Australia next month.
Following an eight-month warning period, AI-enabled cameras will officially begin issuing fines for mobile phone use, seatbelt breaches, and speeding offences from Wednesday, October 8th.
300,000 offences since February
Since February, fixed and trailer-mounted cameras have detected more than 300,000 offences across the Perth metropolitan area, the Great Southern, and the Mid West. Of those, more than 65,000 caution notices were issued for mobile phone and seatbelt violations.
Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said the new technology targets the behaviours most commonly linked to serious and fatal crashes. “Our safety cameras are a critical addition to existing enforcement tools, helping to tackle the dangerous driving behaviours most commonly linked to serious and fatal crashes,” he said.
Education before enforcement
The State Government has paired the campaign with a $750,000 investment in five new community partnerships, designed to provide targeted education in metropolitan, regional, and remote areas.
These programs will include workshops, resources, and awareness campaigns tailored to local needs. “This is about fairness and safety. For eight months we have warned drivers, and our Caught in a Flash campaign is another attempt to prompt people to change their dangerous driving behaviours before enforcement commences,” Mr Whitby said.
Where are the cameras?
Six mobile trailers are already in operation across Perth, the Great Southern, and the Mid West, while fixed cameras are installed on the Kwinana Freeway.
The program is funded through the Road Trauma Trust Account, which directs 100% of safety camera infringements into projects that reduce injuries and deaths on WA roads.
Mr Whitby said the time for warnings was over. “Too many lives are lost or forever changed because someone chose to speed, look at their phone, or not wear a seatbelt properly,” he said. “Drivers have had months of warning and plenty of time to adjust. Now it’s time to enforce the rules that keep our community safe.”
