NSW Drivers Caught Using Phones Generate $414M in Fines, Italy Bans Speed Cameras in South Tyrol

Speed camera enforcement continues to generate significant fines and influence driver behavior across various regions. In New South Wales, Australia, drivers aged 26 to 35 are the most fined for mobile phone use while driving, receiving 84,000 fines in 2023 and 2024, despite an overall decrease in penalties since the introduction of mobile detection cameras in 2020. In Middletown, Connecticut, the city's speed cameras have issued nearly 10,000 citations totaling around $606,000 in fines since their installation, with officials noting a reduction in traffic incidents. Conversely, in Italy’s South Tyrol region, all fixed speed cameras have been turned off following a new national law requiring site-specific approval, aiming to prevent the use of cameras as revenue sources rather than safety tools. In Wales, a prolific speed camera that generated over £1 million in fines was vandalized and removed due to lack of local funds for replacement, amidst public backlash against a controversial 20 mph blanket speed limit policy. These examples illustrate the ongoing tension between road safety enforcement, public acceptance, and the financial implications of speed and mobile phone use detection technologies.