Queensland’s school zone speed cameras now online, more than 1600 fines issued

The Queensland Government is celebrating its “world-first” trial of hidden speed cameras embedded in school zone signs, nabbing more than 1600 speeding motorists – despite the devices issuing no fines for the first seven months of operation.

As reported in July, the Queensland Government admitted a “technical glitch” led to zero fines being issued to speeding drivers in school zones for the first seven months after the cameras were turned on from 23 January 2023 at six locations across the state.

At the time, the Department of Transport and Main Roads estimated the average number of motorists speeding through the high-risk school zones was reduced from 6.6 per day in February 2023 to 6.3 per day at the end of May 2023 – meaning the non-operational speed cameras failed to issue infringement notices and fines to more than 700 motorists.

However, speaking to ABC Radio Brisbane earlier this week, Queensland’s Minister for Transport, Mark Bailey, said the school zone speed cameras became fully operational as of 7 August 2023 and issued 1607 speeding fines up to 28 August.

This means approximately 100 drivers were caught speeding through school zones on every school day across the three-week period – working out to about 16-17 speeding motorists per day at each of the six speed camera-equipped school zone sites.

This figure represents a significant increase on the 6.3 speeding drivers per day across all the locations combined as originally reported.

In Queensland, school zones operate from 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm. 

During active school zone hours, the speed limit is reduced to 40km/h on roads with a normal limit of 50km/h to 70km/h. 

On roads with a regular speed limit of 80km/h or more, the speed limit is reduced to 60km/h.

According to ABC News, one of the speeding motorists was caught between 31km/h and 40km/h above the speed limit – which incurs a fine of $1078 and six demerit points.

An additional 29 drivers were reportedly recorded travelling between 21km/h and 30km/h above the posted speed limit – incurring a $646 fine and four demerit points each.

Between 1 January 2018 to 30 April 2022, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads reported 70,132 speeding infringements were issued to drivers who were caught breaking the posted speed limit in school zones.

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads reports 14,602 speeding infringements were issued to drivers who were caught breaking the posted speed limit in school zones – as well as 5279 fines from 1 January to 31 May 2023.

The six school zone speed cameras are planned to be rotated across 24 locations, though the state government does not publish any resources about where the devices are located – only telling ABC News they “would be located between Cairns and the Gold Coast”.