Safety cameras are a reminder to everyone to travel within the speed limit and make safe driving choices – so you and your whānau can get home safely.

Statistics show Māori are disproportionately harmed by road crashes, making up 32% of casualties in fatal crashes where speed is a factor.

Blessing of safety camera site between Kawakawa and Moerewa in Tai Tokerau.

Safety cameras save lives

Overall, road traffic mortality rates are estimated at between 60% and 200% higher for Māori compared to non-Māori.

Safety cameras will help reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads. They are located where they are most needed to keep whānau and hapori safe.

When a crash happens, the speed you are travelling can be the difference between being killed, a life changing injury, and walking away unharmed.

How we work with you on new safety cameras

  • Identify iwi, hapū and hapori Māori in the proposed camera area.
  • Research past engagement with iwi, hapū and hapori on transport initiatives.
  • Build relationships through whakawhanaungatanga.
  • Listen to Māori road safety aspirations.
  • Seek views of iwi, hapū and hapori Māori for camera sites.
  • Work with iwi, hapū and hapori to identify concerns about sites including if it is a wāhi tapu.
  • Enable appropriate tikanga to be observed as construction begins.
  • Ongoing communication and hui with iwi, hapū and hapori about safety camera progress.

Saving lives, not raising revenue

We are increasing the number and type of safety cameras to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads, not to gather revenue.

Safety cameras remind everyone to do the right thing so whānau can get home safely.

You won’t have to pay any infringement fees if you travel within the speed limit.

When you enter a fixed safety camera area, signs will remind you to travel  within the speed limit and respect red lights.

Waka Kotahi does not receive any funds from safety cameras. Infringement fees go into the Government Consolidated Fund.

Safety camera fees

When a safety camera detects a vehicle travelling up to 50 km/h over the speed limit we issue an infringement notice. Fees currently range from $30 to $630 depending on the speed detected.

You need to pay by the date on the infringement notice.

When a safety camera detects a vehicle speeding more than 50 km/h over the speed limit we issue a traffic offence notice.

As this is a serious offence, we may file charges in court. The court decides on the fine and/or penalty.

Capturing data

Safety cameras only detect speeding or red light offences, depending on the camera type.

Cameras capture things like vehicle speed, the date, time and place of the event, images of the vehicle, lane, and vehicle type.

Cameras are not collecting any other information or offences such as mobile phone or seatbelt use, warrant of fitness or vehicle registration.

Securing data

Our systems have security measures in place to stop the loss, misuse and alteration of information. We keep information our safety cameras capture for up to seven years, depending on its type.

We only share data to process infringements or as required by law. Safety cameras also collect non-personal information for research and analysis of roading activity.

We know protection of data is a significant concern for Māori.

Our safety camera Māori advisory group has helped us to define Māori data as data produced by Māori, and data about Māori and the environments we have relationships with.

This definition has been endorsed by the Waka Kotahi Digital Executive Steering Committee.

Further information

Māori and safety cameras information sheet [PDF, 2.5 MB]

Safety camera privacy

Taking over safety cameras from NZ Police