Vic deploys number plate recognition

Dec 17, 2010 12:03 PM
Filed under Hardware

Police plan Christmas road blitz.

Victoria Police have deployed automatic number plate recognition technology to identify unauthorised drivers this summer.

Ten number plate recognition systems were to be deployed.

Each involved a custom-fitted unmarked van, trained operator, and camera linked to a number plate information database.

The database alerted operators to "unauthorised drivers", such as those who were unlicensed or disqualified from driving, and with expired or defective registration.

Systems would be placed in "strategic areas" that were identified through "road trauma" data. Police announced that unauthorised drivers were more likely to be involved in those incidents.

Victoria Police highlighted 15 high-risk road trauma areas: Surf Coast; Geelong; Brimbank; Hume; Melbourne; Wangaratta; Boroondara; Monash; Yarra Ranges; East Gippsland; Glen Eira; Kingston; Casey; Dandenong; and Mornington Peninsula.

The rollout followed a technology trial that has been in place since December 2007. So far, more than a million number plates have been scanned over 2,298 operational hours.

During that time, the technology flagged 5,583 unregistered vehicles and 8,071 unlicensed drivers, resulting in 15,178 infringements being issued and 25 arrests.

Victoria Police's state-wide Christmas road blitz, Operation AEGIS IX, was scheduled to run over the next 24 days, until Sunday 9 January.

5 comments in this discussion

"Actually, what is more intriguing is the fact that the Vic police have cleverly highlighted '15 high-risk road trauma areas', which appear to include most of Victoria. Or at least the bits where ..."

By Ace

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Comments: 5

Francis Dec 27, 2010 2:43 PM	Did I read Right? "Systems would be placed in "strategic areas" that were identified through "road trauma data." Am I dense or something? The above statement says to me that for these places to exist, there is something wrong with the road or road layout and design. If so shouldn't something be being done about the road design instead of blaming the driver? In Scandinavia, Europe the UK and even parts of the USA as well as a number of other areas, they employ a system known as Project Zero Tolerance. The basis of this policy is that there is no such thing as a perfect driver and even the best drivers can be distracted by an external event resulting in an accident and road trauma. Consequently they design their roads with amazing results taking into consideration human frailties, but here in Australia but we blame the driver. Could it just be that this is the simplest and cheapest way out for the State Budget while taking the blame off the road designers and raising State Revenue? If this fascicle situation were not so serious, it would be a Joke. When will we also embrace "Project Zero Tolerance" and lift the burden for poor road design from the shoulders of drivers and dump it back where it belongs. Back in the laps of those responsible for the road's design and construction.
Ace Dec 29, 2010 3:55 AM	@Francis, I'm not saying you're 'dense', but areas like Geelong and Melbourne have more than one road. Fixing the roads over Melbourne (for example) might be a little tricky with just a few billion dollars and 20 years.
Francis Dec 29, 2010 12:00 PM	@ Ace Your criticism while is in part valid, it is really just a cop out. The problem is that the government and the bureaucrats will always take the easy way out by blaming someone else and saying it is too expensive. So we will keep building black spots let alone fixing the existing ones and changing our attitude to road design. We need to make a change even if it is expensive and takes a long while before it gets up to 100%. It would be criminal not to begin that change NOW.
anonymous Dec 29, 2010 2:44 PM	Both Ace & Francis have good points. It's easy for pollies to wave their arms on TV and say "We will do something about road accidents" when most of what they do consists of things that will cunningly make money for the govt. Having said which, it does seem a good idea to get unlicensed and unregistered drivers off the roads because they are also uninsured, and a risk in more ways than one.
Ace Dec 29, 2010 10:18 PM	Actually, what is more intriguing is the fact that the Vic police have cleverly highlighted '15 high-risk road trauma areas', which appear to include most of Victoria. Or at least the bits where people live. @Francis, there was no mention of 'black spots'. Calling Melbourne a black spot might be considered a little offensive by some Melburnians.