This ute was filmed driving through a red light and smashing into another car on 23 April 2024. Photo: ACT Policing.
If you’re going to drive through red traffic lights, you should know that you just might be caught on the dashcams of the cars behind you.
On Thursday (5 September), ACT Policing released a compilation video of drivers filmed performing the dangerous activity.
Police have already fined 54 drivers for failing to stop at red traffic lights across Canberra after they had been caught on the dashcams of other motorists.
In May, ACT Policing expanded its online reporting capability to include dangerous driving, providing the community with a new mechanism to report poor driver behaviour.
By Thursday, more than 360 online dangerous driving reports had been received, with 167 drivers issued traffic infringement notices, 66 drivers issued cautions or warnings, and six matters continuing to be investigated.
The most common offence reported was drivers not stopping at red lights.
In July, police shared an earlier dashcam compilation video of poor driver behaviour after 25 drivers were issued with fines over two months.
The Officer in Charge of Road Policing, Detective Inspector Mark Steel, said dashcam footage has provided police with the ability to have eyes anywhere. He urged drivers to carefully consider this when getting behind the wheel.
“While police are happy to see so many people are already using the online portal, we are very disappointed to see the volume of poor driving behaviour occurring daily,” he said.
“Over half of all collisions in the ACT occur at intersections. Drivers who don’t obey traffic lights and signs can end up with serious injuries or, in some cases, deceased.
“Accelerating at a yellow light instead of stopping because you are in a hurry to get home could end up with you never making it home again.”
Detective Inspector Steel said in the last financial year, police issued more than 400 infringements and cautions for ignoring red lights.
“While Road Policing officers will continue to be out and about in the community, we’re encouraging members of the public to come forward with this kind of dashcam footage,” he said.
If you capture dashcam or mobile phone footage of driving offences, you can report these via the online reporting portal.
This driver was caught driving through a red light while turning in front of other motorists. Photo: ACT Policing.
“You may also be required to provide a formal witness statement to police and attend court as a witness to confirm the information provided in your witness statement,” a police spokesperson said.
“Police will support witnesses through the court process, noting that many matters are dealt with by police without proceeding to court.”
Driving offences include dangerous driving, road rage, careless driving, mobile phone, red light and seatbelt offences.
You can still report dangerous driving to Crime Stoppers, the police assistance line (131 444) or by attending a police station. In an emergency or life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000).
There have been six fatal crashes on the ACT’s roads so far this year.
Joshua Stewart, 19, died in January after the allegedly stolen vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a crash on the Barton Highway. A 14-year-old boy has been charged and is before the courts, while a teenage passenger in the car died months after the crash.
Tennis Canberra coach Alicia Celaya Jauregui was killed while riding her bike on Lady Denman Drive in March.
A flipped Toyota Camry was found in the middle of Adelaide Avenue in Yarralumla on 17 April, and a 15-year-old boy was transported to hospital where he later died. Another 15-year-old has been charged with manslaughter over the crash.
A 46-year-old male motorbike rider died after a single-vehicle crash on Brindabella Road on 21 April, and another was killed in a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of Sulwood and Athllon drives on 23 May.
Also, a 47-year-old died after a motorcycle and a light truck crashed near the intersection of Southern Cross Drive and Beaurepaire Crescent in Holt on 18 June.
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