Although the stated purpose of speed cameras is to prevent accidents, a "camouflaged" version is directly causing accidents in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Blackburn. Mounted on a light-gray pole, the ticket machine is placed in the middle of a similarly shaded gray concrete footpath so that it is hard for motorists to see. Yet heavy pedestrian traffic at the busy intersection of Whitehorse and Surrey roads means this camera has become an immediate hazard to those on foot as well.

Blackburn resident Herbert Epstein witnessed a nearsighted man, a boy on a bike and a woman pushing a stroller all slam into the speed camera. "Instead of saving lives, it is a potential collision course," he told the Whitehorse Leader.

The region has seen a significant jump in the number of speed camera tickets issued from 11,935 in 2003 to 18,526 in 2004.

"[Police Minister] Tim Holding is only interested in raking in millions of dollars a month across Victoria in mobile speed camera fines," said Terry Mulder, Victoria's Shadow Minister for Transport.