New mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras have raked in more than $40 million in fines in just four months with Gold Coast drivers among the worst offenders.
A total of 47,680 fines were handed out between the start of November last year and the end of February.
That includes 33,805 fines for people illegally using their mobile phones while 13,875 tickets were sent out for seatbelt offences.
Brisbane drivers copped the most fines with 23,663 with Gold Coast drivers the second-worst with 17,128 fines.
More than 10,000 of the fines issued to Gold Coast drivers were for using mobile phones behind the wheel.
The fine for illegally using your mobile phone is $1033 along with four demerit points.
Double demerits apply if a driver is caught twice in 12 months.
The fine for seatbelt offences is $413 and three demerit points.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says the figures are shocking.
“We know using your phone while driving is the equivalent of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.07 – 0.10, so this is like having 33,805 drunk drivers on our roads,” Mr Bailey said.
“To think seatbelts have been mandatory for 50 years and almost 14,000 people have been caught doing the wrong thing in just four months is outrageous.”
The cameras have been progressively rolled out across the state with a number of fixed locations while mobile cameras are also positioned at random sites.
The cameras take photos of every passing vehicle and use artificial intelligence to detect the use of mobile phones or a driver or passenger not wearing their seatbelt.
