Assaults on traffic camera operators have risen sharply, raising concerns about the growing risk they face on the job.

Police data released by Newstalk ZB under the Official Information Act shows reported assaults on the country’s approximately 78 operators has been increasing over the past three years.

Seven assaults were reported in 2020 – rising to 24 in 2021, and 32 in both 2022 and 2033.

Most of the incidents were near misses, but two resulted in physical injuries.

In the first incident, an operator suffered life-changing injuries, after a driver deliberately rammed their vehicle at “considerable speed” towards a mobile speed camera van on Auckland’s North Shore in August 2021.

The driver died, and the operator was thrown from his parked van and spent three months in hospital recovering from a skull fracture and scalp lacerations, lung injuries, and fractures on his ribs and legs.

WorkSafe dropped charges against police in February, accepting a binding commitment from Police to improve safety, provide reparations to injured operators, and improve training.

In the other incident, a person threw an object at a speed camera van in the Southern District in 2022. The object broke the window and hit the operator inside.

Road Policing Superintendent Steve Greally said it’s unclear what has caused the spike in incidents – including verbal abuse, objects being thrown at the vehicle, and people deliberately driving close to parked vehicles.

But he said police take their health and safety obligations seriously and are “committed to ensuring the safety of traffic camera operators with continued improvements to deployment practices”.

Police Association President Chris Cahill said there’s not enough data to understand what’s caused the rise, but it’s likely due to a huge pushback against authority.

"Camera cars are a very visible presence of policing, and it's a soft target for people who have an issue with policing,” he said.

Cahill said while police have done a great job on its WorkSafe pledge, it’s concerning the assaults should have been looked into earlier and warrant further investigation.

NZ Transport Agency will begin running speed camera operations through a third-party contractor from mid-2025 and is currently looking for a provider to run day-to-day operations.

“As part of our procurement process, we are asking respondents to demonstrate how they will keep their operators safe at the roadside. Alongside that, we consider the personal safety and welfare of the mobile safety camera operators,” a spokesperson said.