Western Australia has launched its Caught in a Flash campaign to remind drivers that new AI-enabled safety cameras will begin enforcement from October 8. The move is expected to change driver behaviour on major transport routes and improve safety for freight operators who share the road network daily.
The state-wide awareness campaign is being rolled out across television, radio, print, social media, digital platforms and roadside billboards. It follows an eight-month period of education and caution notices that allowed drivers to adjust to the new technology before fines are issued.
Six trailer-mounted cameras have already been deployed in the Perth metropolitan area, the Great Southern and the Mid West, while fixed cameras operate on the Kwinana Freeway. Since February, more than 300,000 mobile phone, seatbelt and speeding offences have been detected, including 65,000 that resulted in caution notices instead of penalties.
WA road safety minister Reece Whitby says the new system addresses some of the behaviours most likely to cause serious crashes.
“Our safety cameras are a critical addition to existing enforcement tools, helping to tackle the dangerous driving behaviours most commonly linked to serious and fatal crashes,” Whitby says.
“This is about fairness and safety. For eight months, we have warned drivers, and our Caught in a Flash campaign is another attempt to prompt people to change their dangerous driving behaviours before enforcement commences.”
For the freight and logistics sector, the technology promises safer corridors on routes vital to supply chains. Heavy vehicle operators face daily risks when smaller vehicles cut corners, fail to wear seatbelts or attempt to use phones while driving. By reducing the incidence of these behaviours, the likelihood of delays and collisions can be lowered.
The WA government has also invested more than $750,000 into five new community partnerships through the Road Safety Commission’s Community Initiatives Program. These projects are designed to extend awareness and training into regional and remote communities, where freight routes intersect with local roads and the stakes are high for both residents and operators.
Whitby says this inclusive approach ensures the message reaches all Western Australians.
“The community partnerships are an essential part of a fair and inclusive education approach to ensure everyone understands how new safety cameras work and why they are being introduced,” Whitby says.
“Too many lives are lost or forever changed because someone chose to speed, look at their phone, or not wear a seatbelt properly.”
Data from the caution period shows a decline in offences since the cameras were first introduced, suggesting the education-first model is already having an effect. The shift in behaviour will be closely monitored as full enforcement begins in October.
Whitby says drivers now have no excuse for not following the rules.
“Drivers have had months of warning and plenty of time to adjust. Now it’s time to enforce the rules that keep our community safe,” Whitby says.