The Australian Capital Territory is on track to collect more than $23 million from speeding fines this financial year, with new data revealing young motorists are bearing the brunt of infringements.
Young Drivers Dominate Speeding Offences
Recent police statistics show motorists aged between 18 and 35 years old received half of all speed-related fines and cautions issued by road policing officers. The figures from the last financial year also indicated that seven out of ten people caught for speeding offences were men.
A stark example emerged during summer's double demerits period when a 21-year-old Belconnen motorcyclist lost his licence just days after regaining it. The rider was caught travelling at 125km/h in a 60km/h zone on Parkes Way, earning him a $1,841 fine and 12 demerit points.
"I was passing a road work zone and was unfortunately doing 125 km on my motorcycle," the anonymous rider said, noting the police officer showed compassion by offering water and moving him to shade during the sweltering day.
Revenue Breakdown and Offence Patterns
Analysis by The Canberra Times found speeding offences account for the majority of traffic infringements in the ACT, representing about 90 percent of all fines issued in 2022 and 65 percent of fines so far in 2025.
Fines for speeding by 15km/h or less in non-school zones alone generated approximately $20 million in revenue. The territory witnessed a significant spike in speeding fines between 2021 and 2022, largely attributed to newly introduced 40km/h zones in the city centre.
An ACT government spokeswoman revealed these zones accounted for approximately 150,000 infringements over 18 months, contributing to more than $40 million in revenue each year during that period.
School Zone Concerns and Technology Impact
ACT Policing expressed ongoing disappointment with drivers speeding in school zones, confirming they regularly conduct targeted operations in these areas. Since 2022, infringements for speeding in school zones by 15km/h or less have fluctuated between 2,300 to 3,300 fines annually.
"Children are our most vulnerable road users because their unpredictability exposes them to the highest risk when around traffic," a police spokesperson stated. "The 40km/h speed limit is important in school zones because it gives motorists extra time to stop in an unexpected situation."
A 44-year-old Bruce resident shared his experience of receiving a $326 fine after missing a school zone sign in Gungahlin. "I remember driving through Gungahlin on a Thursday afternoon in mid-October quite under the speed limit. However, I didn't realise I was six km over the 40 km speed limit in the school zone," he said.
Police Debunk Common Speed Camera Myths
ACT Policing firmly refuted the widespread belief that speed cameras and officers allow a five km/h "buffer" above posted limits.
"It is an offence to drive above the posted speed limit. Drivers can and should expect that if they are caught speeding by any amount, they may incur an infringement or caution," a police spokeswoman emphasized.
She added that police have expanded their online portal to accommodate increased reporting of dangerous driving from private vehicles equipped with dashcams.
Rising Offences and Enhanced Detection
The data revealed offences for driving unregistered and suspended vehicles have more than doubled from 1,700 infringements in 2024 to over 2,500 recorded this year. Revenue from this offence reached $2.1 million in 2025 after first crossing the $1 million mark last year.
Police attribute this increase to the installation of additional cameras on Canberra roads and enhancements in Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, providing greater access to real-time vehicle registration information.
Mobile detection cameras, which began issuing infringements in February last year, recorded almost twenty times more offences compared to 2023. These cameras issued an average of 2,500 fines monthly, with Mitchell and Symonston being the most frequent locations.
Other notable increases included offences related to failure to stop at red lights and signs, which have generated almost $1 million in fines since 2022, and failure to indicate penalties contributing more than $50,000 during the same period.
Costliest Traffic Penalties
According to Access Canberra, penalty amounts for traffic offences increased in July 2025. The heaviest fines currently include:
- Speeding in a school zone by more than 45km/h: $2,136 and 6 demerit points
- Speeding by more than 45km/h: $1,841 and 6 demerit points
- Driving an unregistered or suspended vehicle: $700 with no demerit points
- Failing to stop at a stop sign: $552 and 3 demerit points
- Failing to indicate: $335 and 2 demerit points
The comprehensive data paints a clear picture of Canberra's road enforcement landscape, with speeding remaining the dominant traffic offence and young drivers continuing to be disproportionately represented in infringement statistics.
