NZTA to use SUVs for speed camera deployment
For those used to keeping an eagle eye out for vans parked conspicuously beside the highway in order to avoid getting pinged by a mobile speed camera, the game is about to get a bit harder.
The NZTA is taking over the operation of all ‘safety cameras’ from the NZ Police, and says it will use SUVs to deploy its mobile cameras around the country.
Given the popularity of the vehicle type, it will make those mobile cameras a bit harder to spot.
And from the photo supplied, they will be using one of NZ’s most popular selling vehicles too, the Toyota RAV4.
NZTA says these will operate alongside the vans which NZ Police have traditionally used. Later this year, the agency will also add trailers to the fleet of safety camera vehicles.
NZTA says camera-equipped SUVs will be parking up on roadsides across Auckland from next Tuesday (13 May) to improve safety for all road users by detecting drivers exceeding speed limits. In the coming months, it will be joined by other SUVs and trailers as NZTA expands its mobile safety camera operations across the country to a total of 44 mobile cameras – 35 of which will be operating at any given time.
In its release, the NZTA says; “Mobile safety cameras reduce deaths and serious injuries by discouraging speeding generally, and they are most effective when they are deployed nationwide on a ‘anytime, anywhere’ basis. The exact timing and location of mobile safety cameras is informed by evidence, which may include crash data and feedback from local communities.
“Mobile cameras will be used in places where there is a risk of people being killed or seriously injured in a crash. Evidence shows that unsigned mobile safety cameras are twice as effective at reducing crashes than sign posted cameras, so while our safety cameras in SUVs and trailers will be visible to drivers and will not be hidden, they won’t be signposted.”
NZTA will not receive any incentives or funds from tickets issued. Safety camera infringement fees go into the Government Consolidated Fund.
From 1 July 2025, NZTA will be responsible for the operation of all safety cameras and NZ Police will no longer operate their mobile safety camera vans.
