How much are we paying in fines?
The amount of revenue collected from traffic fines is not always clearly discernible from other non-traffic statutory and court fines in State/Territory budgets. In NSW, $339 million in revenue was collected from fines during 2011-12iv. In Queensland, the government is expecting to raise $300 million in revenue from fines and forfeitures in 2011-2012v. In Victoria, it was revealed that road safety camera fines, police on-the-spot fines and toll road evasion fines generated $256.9 million, $125.7 million and $109.7 million in revenue respectively, in 2011-12vi.
Although a breakdown of fine revenues by offence are harder to come by, specific information for speeding and red light offences is more readily available. Speeding fines are awarded for driving at a speed that exceeds the speed limit for that roadvii, and drivers are punished for failing to stop at a traffic light showing redviii.
In New South Wales (NSW) between July 2011 and June 2012, $89 million in revenue was raised from fixed-camera-captured speed and red light traffic offences aloneix. During FY2010/11, the Victorian government received nearly $250 million dollars ($249,716,864) in revenue from fixed and mobile speed and red light camerasx. Western Australians also felt the impact of mobile and fixed camera fines, and in 2011, paid $105.28 millionxi in fines - for approximately 800,000 speeding fines and over 16,000 red-light finesxi. This is an increase of $33.7 million since 2010xi.
Fines to increase
Traffic fines in NSW are set to increase by 12.5 per cent from the 1st of July 2012xii. The fine increase is expected to raise annual revenue by $45 millionxiii. The NSW Government also expects revenue growth over the coming four years from increasing vehicle numbers and previously announced enforcement measures, including additional mobile speed camerasxiii.
The Victorian budget reveals something similar, with an increase in fines revenue contributed to by a 12.5 per cent increase in the value of penalty units, implementation of new road safety initiatives and CPI indexationxiv. The Victorian Government anticipates revenue to increase in the coming year for road safety camera, police on-the-spot, and toll road evasion fines. Fines from road safety camera fines are expected to increase by $49 million, from $256.9 million in 2011-12 to $305.9 million in 2012-13xiv. Police on-the-spot and toll road evasion fines are expected to increase by $33.8 million and $15.8 million respectively, in 2012-13xiv.
Meanwhile, the South Australian police also expect to collect $101 million in the FY2011/12 based on higher fine values (introduced on July 1, 2011), the set-up of more fixed traffic cameras targeting red light and speed offences, and indexation
Source:
http://www.allianz.com.au/car-insurance/driving-offences-revenue-assessed
