Red-light cameras


	For technical red-light camera enquiries phone 131 782 or email Camera_Enforcement@rta.nsw.gov.au or write to Roads and Traffic Authority, PO Box 973, Parramatta CBD NSW 2124. For technical red-light camera enquiries prior to 10 December 2008 phone the NSW Police Traffic Camera Unit on 02 9689 7061. For all red-light camera infringement enquiries contact the State Debt Recovery Office on 1300 138 118. For a copy of the infringement image visit the State Debt Recovery Website www.sdro.nsw.gov.au

The Red-Light Camera Program began in 1988 and has been administered by the NSW Police Force. The responsibility for red-light camera enforcement has now been handed over from the NSW Police Force to the RTA.

The purpose of red-light cameras is to reduce road trauma from crashes at traffic lights caused by vehicles running a red-light. These crashes are particularly severe because they often involve the front of a vehicle impacting with the side doors of another vehicle and passengers and drivers are not as well protected from side impacts as frontal impacts.

Evaluations of red-light cameras conducted in both Australia and overseas have found that red-light cameras are clearly effective in reducing casualty crashes at intersections. When the evaluations were considered together it is estimated that red-light cameras reduce the number of casualty crashes at intersections by around 30 per cent (1).

Penalties and the law

The laws relating to offences at traffic lights are described in Part 6, Traffic lights, traffic arrows and twin red lights of Road Rules 2008.

Traffic light offences attract both fines and demerit points. Click here for further details of penalties for red-light offences.

(1) Retting, R.A., Ferguson, S.A., Hakkert, A.S., 2003, Effects of Red-light Cameras on Violations and Crashes: A Review of the International Literature, Traffic Injury Prevention, 4:17-23