Phone-use fines in SA: $573 and 3 demerit points, and the cameras catch you at red lights
AI-powered cameras across South Australia are catching drivers using mobile phones, even when stopped at red lights. Here's what's changed, what's allowed, and how to make sure you never get caught out.
What the rule actually says
In South Australia, it is illegal to touch, hold or rest your phone on any part of your body while driving, and that includes when you're stationary in traffic or stopped at a red light. The vehicle has to be parked, with the engine off and outside a traffic lane, before you can legally pick it up.
What you CAN do
- Use your phone hands-free if it's in a fixed cradle
- Make a call or change music via Bluetooth or voice command
- Use GPS navigation, as long as the phone is mounted
What you CAN'T do
- Hold the phone in your hand for any reason
- Rest it on your lap or the passenger seat while it's active
- Quickly check a message at the lights
- Take a photo or video while driving
The cameras are watching
New AI-equipped cameras are deployed in fixed and mobile locations across SA. They photograph drivers from above through the windscreen and use machine learning to detect phones in hands. The images are reviewed by a human before any fine is issued, but the camera is the first filter, and it's catching thousands of drivers.
What it costs
For a mobile phone offence detected by a camera in South Australia, the penalty is a $573 fine plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy and 3 demerit points (around $678 in total). Police can also issue a fine if they see you using a hand-held phone. For L and P platers, who can lose their licence after accumulating just 4 demerit points, three points from a single offence is most of the way there.
The penalty amounts are set by the government and adjusted from time to time, so check the current figure on the official SA Police or sa.gov.au sites.
The simple rule
If you're behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, or even a stationary one in traffic, your phone stays in the cradle, in your bag, or in your pocket. Don't risk it.
Related reading: the new detection cameras switching on across Adelaide with no grace period, and where Adelaide's cameras are watching.
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