How point-to-point cameras work
Two or more point-to-point cameras work together as a system. They are placed at individual points along a stretch of road.
They calculate the average speed of vehicles travelling between 2 or more points along a section of road.
Each point uses an in-road sensor to detect vehicles passing through. A camera takes time-stamped digital images of the vehicles driving past.
The system is able to pull from a digital image the number plate of a vehicle. It uses optical character recognition technology to do this. This information is used to match the record at each of the camera points to track individual vehicles.
The cameras also measure the speed of passing vehicles at that location.
The system knows how much time it should take a vehicle that is not speeding to drive between the 2 points. If the time a vehicle takes is shorter than that time, the system calculates the average speed of the vehicle was over the speed limit. It flags the incident for review and verification.
Review of the images taken
When point-to-point camera system images are flagged, Victoria Police reviews the images. If Victoria Police confirms the image captured an offence, an infringement is issued.
Images that are not confirmed as an offence, either by the camera system or by Victoria Police, are not kept.
Accuracy
The shortest distance between 2 camera points is measured by an approved surveyor. The surveyor certificates are provided along with the camera test certificates.
As stated in the Road Safety Act , the point-to-point average speed formula is based on the shortest distance between 2 points and the time taken to travel between these points.
Penalties for drivers
Drivers caught infringing by a point-to-point camera system may have a speeding offence recorded and receive a fine, demerit points or licence suspension.
Locations
Victoria currently uses point-to-point camera systems in 2 fixed locations.
They are located along parts of:
Research and trials
Mobile point-to-point camera systems
Mobile point-to-point cameras are not currently used in Victoria.
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is planning to trial the use of mobile point-to-point cameras. These cameras will be tested to understand how well they work and how accurate and reliable they are. The cameras will not be used for enforcement when being trialled.
Road safety benefits
Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) evaluated Victoria's fixed freeway cameras, including the point-to-point systems on the Hume Freeway and Peninsula Link.
The study confirmed that point-to-point cameras in fixed-camera locations are effective and provide a measurable benefit to road safety.
Additionally, MUARC’s modelling of mobile operations indicated that mobile point-to-point cameras can provide a road safety benefit, especially on rural and outer-metro roads.
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