Mobile safety cameras

Mobile safety cameras are used to provide general, rather than site-specific, deterrence to speeding. That’s why they are operated nationwide ‘anytime, anywhere’ and aren’t marked.

Mobile safety cameras factsheet [PDF, 543 KB]

How mobile safety cameras work

Mobile safety cameras work like fixed speed cameras except they are installed in trailers and SUVs so can be moved around.

Mobile safety cameras use a radar to measure the speed and identify the direction of a vehicle. The camera can detect speeding vehicles in 2 directions and from either side of the road.

What they look like

We use different colours and models for our SUV cameras. They don’t have any branding.

They have multiple cameras. These include cameras that measure speed (moving both towards and away from the front and rear of the car), cameras that are used to make sure the vehicle is set up correctly and CCTV cameras.

We are also rolling out mobile safety cameras in trailers. This is what we expect they will look like. We will update this page with a photo of our trailers before we begin operating them.

Example image of a trailer mobile safety camera.

Where they’ll operate

Our mobile safety cameras will operate nationwide ‘anytime and anywhere’. While our SUVS and trailers won’t be marked, they also won’t be hidden. We won’t use trees, blind corners or anything else at the roadside to disguise our cameras. They’ll be visible to drivers.

Having cameras installed in both SUVs and trailers means we can choose the best camera type for the location, saving money and increasing safety for operators. 

We don’t need our operators to stay with a trailer so we can use these when the cameras are needed on the road for a longer shift and/or where it’s safer for our operators not to be on site. SUVs will generally be used when we want our cameras to visit several locations in a shift. 

General deployment rules

NZTA has set the following rules for where mobile safety cameras can operate. Mobile safety cameras:

• must not be hidden from road users. We won’t use trees, blind corners or anything else at the roadside to disguise our cameras. 
• can be parked near other vehicles so long as they are not hidden, and they have a clear view of traffic to identify speeding vehicles.  
• will use available roadside infrastructure to increase the safety of operators – parking behind a barrier for example.
• will always be set up at least 1km away from another operational safety camera when the speed limit is 70km per hour or below, or at least 2km away when the speed limit is above 70km per hour. This means if an existing camera is not operating, for any reason, even if is not obvious to road users, mobile safety cameras can be deployed.
• will always be set up at least 250 metres from the end of an overtaking lane.
• will always be set up at least  250 metres from a speed limit drop. That reduction only applies to the road the camera is operating on. Cameras may be set up less than 250m from intersections with roads with higher speed limits.
• will be legally parked. We may ask for permission from the Road Controlling Authority for a parking exemption if it’s needed. For example, a parking area may allow 2-hour maximum parking, but a parking exemption would give permission for a mobile safety camera car or trailer to park for longer.    
• will only be set up by trained safety camera operators. They perform tests and carry out checks to ensure everything is operating as it should before the cameras are turned on. 
• will be parked a safe distance from the normal traffic for the safety of the operator. The ideal distance depends on the speed limit of the road. 
• can be operated during special occasions or programmed events in an area where intelligence indicates there’s a risk of speeding.
• may be operated on slopes, hills or gradients.

Calibration and accuracy

We run a number of checks to ensure the accuracy of mobile safety cameras - these cameras are tested and certified annually.

Safety camera testing and certification

When the mobile safety camera SUV or trailer is parked, the operator will run a series of checks to ensure the cameras are aligned correctly to accurately capture vehicle speeds.

Confirming offences

NZTA enforcement officers will review the information the cameras capture and verify if speeding has occurred. NZTA will only send an infringement or traffic offence notice where it has been proven the vehicle was speeding.

How we confirm a safety camera offence(external link)

About our mobile safety camera operator

Our mobile safety camera operations service provider is Acusensus NZ. Acusensus provide the cameras, SUVs, trailers and staff to operate them.

Acusensus is only responsible for providing images, they will not decide whether an offence has occurred.  NZTA will process all images from the cameras, confirm where a vehicle has been speeding and issue all notices. NZTA will also decide where, and when, cameras will be placed at any one time.  

Our contract with Acusensus is based on the number of hours cameras are operating. Acusensus does not receive any incentives or funds based upon the number of tickets issued.