The first of 56 new police speed cameras has gone live in Wellington's Ngauranga Gorge.
The cameras, which will be installed at crash black spots nationwide during the next 18 months, will use the latest radar-based technology.
They will replace the current crop of cameras which rely on wet film technology and sensors in the road, and will cost $10 million.
Road Policing assistant commissioner Dave Cliff said switching on the new cameras was an important milestone in efforts to reduce deaths on the roads.
Mr Cliff said he was confident the cameras would encourage safer driving.
"The whole point of the speed camera programme is to slow drivers down, so they're very well publicised," he said.
"We've got a list of where they are appearing on the internet. What we want people to do is to slow down in the areas where these cameras are but not just at those locations - speed is a problem everywhere."
Wellington's Wainuiomata Road will be the next site to get a new camera, in September.
An image from the new police speed camera in Wellington's Ngauranga Gorge. Photo: Supplied