Frequently asked questions about road safety cameras
Our answers to some of the most asked questions about the road safety camera program on Victorian roads.
On this page
- How do cameras save lives?
- I was only a few kilometres over the limit – that’s not really speeding. Why should I be punished?
- How do I request a review of an infringement?
- Can mobile speed cameras be set up on a hill?
- I don’t think I was speeding but got flashed by a camera. Could it have been another vehicle?
- How long should a traffic light stay yellow?
- I was already in the intersection when the lights changed to red. Will I be prosecuted?
- How do you select locations for road safety cameras?
- Where does the revenue raised from cameras go?
- Does the movement of a bridge or gantry affect the operation of the road safety cameras attached to it?
- How can I report a road safety camera that appears to be damaged or not working correctly?
- I’ve received a fine, but the camera image of the offence shows two vehicles. How does Victoria Police know I was responsible and not the other driver?
How do cameras save lives?
Speed is one of the biggest killers on Victorian roads, with around one third of all crashes involving inappropriate speed.
By reducing speed, you increase the likelihood of surviving a crash or avoiding injury.
Victoria’s road safety camera system slows drivers down and, in doing so, saves lives.
I was only a few kilometres over the limit – that’s not really speeding. Why should I be punished?
Low-level speeding refers to motorists travelling a few kilometres per hour (km/h) over the legal limit.
It is the most common form of speeding and accounts for the majority of speed-related trauma.
Even speeding at 5 km/h above the speed limit increases both the likelihood of a crash occurring and the severity of driver and pedestrian injuries in the event of a crash.
How do I request a review of an infringement?
Infringements detected by road safety cameras are administered by Fines Victoria. You can learn more and request a review on the Fines Victoria website(opens in a new window).
Victoria Police also has information about what to do once you receive an infringement notice(opens in a new window).
Can mobile speed cameras be set up on a hill?
The Victoria Police Road Policing Enforcement Division (RPED) provides guidelines around the operation of mobile road safety cameras through the Gatso T-Series Mobile Road Safety Camera Policy & Operations Manual.
The guidelines specify that there are no technical or legal restrictions on placing a mobile road safety camera on a slope, gradient or hill.
Visit the mobile cameras page for more information.
I don’t think I was speeding but got flashed by a camera. Could it have been another vehicle?
If you see a road safety camera flash and you are certain you were not speeding or driving against a red light or red arrow, do not panic.
There are a couple of reasons why the camera may have flashed:
- it may be in a testing phase
- it may have been capturing an offence in another lane.
Visit the flashed but not speeding page for more information.
How long should a traffic light stay yellow?
The length of yellow lights at intersections in Victoria is based on a standard set by Austroads. This standard is agreed to by all road authorities in Australia and New Zealand. It’s based on world best practice for balancing road safety and traffic flow.
The operation of traffic signals in Victoria is managed by the Department of Transport and Planning. For general information, visit Traffic lights (Transport Victoria)(opens in a new window).
I was already in the intersection when the lights changed to red. Will I be prosecuted?
If a light changes to red while you are already in the intersection, you will not be issued a fine.
The camera is only activated by a vehicle entering the intersection (driving over the stop line) after the light has turned red.
Visit the red light cameras page for more information.
How do you select locations for road safety cameras?
Visit the how camera locations are chosen page for more information.
Where does the revenue raised from cameras go?
Visit the revenue from fines page for more information.
Does the movement of a bridge or gantry affect the operation of the road safety cameras attached to it?
A number of road safety cameras in Victoria and similarly, in Australia and internationally, are mounted on bridges and gantries that experience some degree of movement from wind or other sources. Road safety cameras have been designed with this in mind.
How can I report a road safety camera that appears to be damaged or not working correctly?
You can let us know by using our online feedback form.
Your feedback should include:
- camera type (fixed or mobile)
- camera location (including direction of travel)
- date and time of travel.
Please note: If your concern relates to a camera that you believe flashed even though you were not speeding or driving against a red light or red arrow, do not panic.
Cameras can flash for reasons other than offence detection (due to testing or detecting an offence in another lane). Visit the flashed but not speeding page for more information.
I’ve received a fine, but the camera image of the offence shows two vehicles. How does Victoria Police know I was responsible and not the other driver?
Road safety cameras can monitor multiple lanes for both speeding and red light offences.
The camera differentiates between lanes and only the offending vehicle will be fined.
Updated 18 March 2026
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