QUEENSLAND's Police Minister has insisted the lowering of the tolerance margin in 60km/h speed zones is about road safety and not revenue raising.

Jack Dempsey defended the police initiative introduced on July 1 after figures obtained by The Courier-Mail showed a big increase in the number of speeding vehicles detected in the first week, compared with the same period last year.

Mr Dempsey said the 19.5 per cent increase in speeding offences was largely because more officers were "out there" enforcing the speed limit.

"I would be happy if we didn't have to issue one traffic offence," said Mr Dempsey.

"162 Queenslanders have lost their lives (on the roads this year), up 19 on last year and it's encumbent on all members of the community to take responsibility particularly for the fatal five and particularly for speeding."

He said all enforcement actions put in place by police were about reducing the road toll, and it was up to motorists to comply.

"At the end of the day people have to make a conscious choice whether they put on a seatbelt, whether they speed, whether they pull over, whether they answer a phone, whether they drink and drive," he said.

"I really do implore Queenslanders to stand up and save their lives, and lives of others on the roads by being responsible."

EARLIER it was reported a drop in the tolerance margin for speeding of just 1km/h is likely to deliver at least $9 million extra in fines over the next year.

In the first week of July, when police first started enforcing the lower tolerance, 7268 drivers were caught exceeding the 60km/h limit, compared with 6081 in the same period last year - a 19.5 per cent increase.

Although more time was devoted to speed enforcement in the period this year, the rate of detection was still up by 13.6 per cent (from 15.71 for every 1000 vehicles to 17.85).

Based on the minimum speeding fine of $146 for exceeding the limit by up to 13km/h, the increased detections in that one week would have resulted in $173,000 of extra revenue for the state.

The new tolerance level is being used for 60km/h zones and police are understood to be planning to extend the new regime to other speed limits.

It is understood the change in tolerance amounts to just 1km/h and only applies in the 60km/h zone - where most offenders are caught.

Queensland Police Service refuse to reveal the new tolerance levels.

The hours of operation by speed cameras in the first week of July was 891, compared with 755 the same period last year.

Road safety campaigner Russell White said motorists should be treating the speed limit as a "limit" and not be concerned with how much faster they can go without being fined.

"It seems people expect more lenience, and to me there's a broader underlying issue of why we've got to push every possible margin," said Mr White, the founder of Fatality Free Friday.

"After all, speed enforcement is a user pays system, and if you do the right thing you have nothing to worry about."

Steve Spalding, from Queensland's peak motoring body RACQ, said drivers should realise that speed limits were in place to help keep them safe.

"Our advice to motorists is that they should always treat the posted limit as the maximum speed limit, and they should not assume there is any tolerance or allowable margin," Mr Spalding said.

"The police don't clarify if or what that is for a reason, and under some road conditions it may be that the safe speed at which to travel is lower again."

A reduction in tolerance margins for other speed zones may occur once it is established that the State Traffic Camera Office can cope with the increase in detections, police sources revealed.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the drop in speeding tolerances was a "road safety initiative that we hope will save lives".

"The level of speed tolerances won't be revealed to avoid creating a de facto speed limit," said the spokeswoman.