Images and data captured by prescribed and certified road safety cameras can be used as legal evidence of an offence. This is allowed under the Road Safety Act 1986(opens in a new window).
Camera test certificates can also be used in court to show the camera was working properly at the time of the offence.
What the images show
Images captured by fixed and mobile digital road safety cameras show:
- location where the offence occurred
- the offending vehicle
- a close-up of the vehicle’s number plate.
Images captured by distracted driver and seatbelt detection cameras show:
- a close-up of the vehicle’s number plate
- two images showing the inside of the vehicle cabin:
- one image from the front, to check if the driver is using a portable device or if the driver or front passenger is not wearing a seatbelt correctly
- one image taken from above to check if the driver is holding or resting a portable device on their body, or if the driver or front passenger is not wearing a seatbelt properly.
What other data is collected
Road safety cameras also record the:
- date and time of the offence
- location of the camera and offence
- direction the offending vehicle was travelling
- lane the offending vehicle was in
- offending vehicle’s speed (for speed offences only)
- speed limit at the location of the offence (for speed offences only)
- amount of time that the traffic signal had been red for the offending vehicle (for red light offences only).
Privacy
Images taken by road safety cameras may also show the faces of drivers or passengers. The cameras do not use facial recognition technology.
We take privacy seriously and work closely with the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner(opens in a new window) to make sure the cameras comply with privacy obligations.
View images and data of an offence
If you receive a fine for an offence from a road safety camera, you can view the images and data of the offence by visiting the Fines Victoria website to view the photo of your offence(opens in a new window).
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