SA low-range speeders avoid fines

Motorists detected driving past speed cameras at up to 9km/h over the limit are not being fined, new police figures show.

The Motor Accident Commission spent $700,000 last financial year on road safety, including warning drivers about the dangers of creeping over the limit.

But the police figures show 'creepers' are not being penalised when they pass the state's 120-plus fixed and speed cameras.

Offences detected by cameras account for 82 per cent of speeding fines issued. The margins above the speed limit at which they generate fines varies according to the speed zone, police data published on a State Government website has revealed.

The figures show the margins range from 7km/h at lower speed limits to 9km/h in higher zones.

But these fines account for only a small proportion of the almost 212,000 fines issued last financial year.

People should always travel at or just below the speed limit

The Motor Accident Commission launched its 'Creepers' campaign in October 2012 to highlight the dangers of low-level speeding.

It included graphic images to illustrate the potential trauma caused by motorists who speed by even a small margin.

Police Assistant Commissioner Noel Bamford said there was "a tolerance in each speed bracket" but he urged drivers to "stick to the limit".

He said police "policy is not to discuss or reveal these as we believe it will essentially set a default speed limit on the roads".

"With the help of speed cameras, we have reduced the speeds travelled across the road network," he said.

In response to the release of police data, MAC general manager for road safety Michael Cornish urged drivers to take responsibility for observing speed limits.

"When motorists exceed the speed limit, they place not only themselves but others at risk," Mr Cornish said.

The RAA said the release of the speeding-fine data should not encourage motorists to speed.

"People should always travel at or just below the speed limit," RAA road safety manager Charles Mountain said.

"The tolerance level is just to provide for fluctuations in speed which occur due to people's ability to drive for long periods at the limit and that particularly older vehicles will read slightly below or above the real speed level." The State Government said police "have always had the discretion about expiating motorists for road offences".

But it added that no one "should believe for one second that speeding is acceptable".

Police data on all camera speeding fines issued in 2013/14 shows: 
LOWEST speeding offence in a 40km/h zone was 48km/h
LOWEST speeding fine in a 50km/h zone was 58km/h
LOWEST speeding offence in a 80km/h zone was 89km/h
LOWEST speeding offence in a 100km/h zone was 110km/h
LOWEST speeding offence in a 110km/h zone was 120km/h
MORE than 99 per cent of speeding camera fines in a 60km/h zone were issued to motorists travelling at 68km/h or above.

Only 53 non-camera speeding fines issued last financial year in 40, 50, 60 and 80km/h zones were below the camera tolerance levels.

The police fines data is published on the State Government's data.sa.gov.au website, created last year by Premier Jay Weatherill to make government department and agency information available to the public.

The data also shows Adelaide's speed camera hot spots.

Although they began operation only last December, the two speed cameras on the South Eastern Freeway, at Crafers and near the toll gate, were among the top three revenue raisers last financial year.

The cameras caught 14,400 speeding motorists.

The top speed camera for the number of fines issued was at Montague Rd, Ingle Farm.

MOBILE/FIXED SPEED CAMERA FINES 2013/14 

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 40 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 4586 
Lowest vehicle speed: 48

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 50 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 62988
Lowest vehicle speed: 58 

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 60 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 88303 
Lowest vehicle speed: 68*

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 80 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 9380 
Lowest vehicle speed: 89 

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 100 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 6252 
Lowest vehicle speed: 110 

Description of offence: Exceed Speed Limit 110 km/h 
Total records for this speed zone: 848 
Lowest vehicle speed: 120

*Excluding 14 fines under review by SAPOL

TOP TEN SPEED CAMERA SITES
Montague Rd, INGLE FARM - 10061 fines - $3,370,643 
SE Freeway, LEAWOOD GARDENS - 8227 fines - $3,628,213 
SE Freeway, CRAFERS - 6171 fines - $2,993,211 
South Rd, CLOVELLY PARK - 4008 fines - $1,426,486 
Glover Ave Bakewell (Underpass), ADELAIDE - 3856 fines - $1,333,850 
King William Rd/Sir Edwin Smith Ave, NORTH ADELAIDE - 3751 fines - $1,222,763
South Rd, BLACKFOREST - 3680 fines - $1,426,793 
Portrush Rd, TRINITY GARDENS - 3275 fines - $1,101,817 
Cross Rd, KINGSWOOD - 3222 fines - $1,126,447 
Grote St/West Tce, ADELAIDE - 2807 fines - $947,852

FINE METHOD 
45% Fixed camera
37% Mobile camera
18% Other

TOTAL OF ALL SPEEDING FINES: 211,886

WEIRD FINES 2013/14
16 Driving motor vehicle with TV receiver operating 
20 Driving with radar detecting device 
163 Driving the wrong way on a one-way road 
4 Increasing speed when overtaken by another driver