Speeders pay price

City’s leadfoot drivers made to fork out millions

THE millions of dollars in speeding fines Townsville’s leadfoots have racked up can be revealed.

In the nine months from July 1, 2019 to March 30, drivers in the Townsville Queensland Police Service District were issued infringement notices worth $1,681,179, according to Department of Transport and Main Roads data.

For the 2018-19 financial year motorists were slapped with speeding tickets valued at $2,182,061.

A total of 5658 people were fined by police in Townsville in the past financial year, down from 7517 infringements. The most common speeding range was 13 to 20km/h over the limit with 4425 offenders in this bracket coughing up $909,454.

People busted driving over the limit in this bracket can expect to fork out $266.

Mobile speed cameras caught the most drivers flouting the limit with 262,731, in comparison to fixed speeding cameras, which nabbed 197,934.

A total of 712,357 speeding tickets were issued to motorists in Queensland in the last financial year.

Twelve people have been killed on Townsville’s roads this year, five more than at this time in 2019.

A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said speeding remained one of the major causes of fatalities on Queensland roads.

“Speed limits are set and enforced to reduce crashes and save lives,” the spokesman said.

“Fines and demerit points apply when a person is caught driving a vehicle above the posted speed limit.

“Every death or serious injury is one too many, and we are committed to reducing the state’s road toll.

“Everyone has a role to play in road safety and motorists are reminded to stick to the speed limits, abide by the road rules and drive to conditions.

“All motorists need to be aware of the fatal five and take them seriously: drink and drug driving, fatigue, inattention, not using a seatbelt and speeding. It is not safe to speed in any circumstance.”