Speed cameras: new rules come into force – the ‘reliability licence’ is introduced
The ministerial decree of 8 June has been published in the Official Gazette. The rules come into force on 12 July and 850 non-type-approved devices are to be withdrawn from circulation
New speed camera rules come into force. The ministerial decree of 8 June on type-approval of speed cameras. The new rules comprehensively regulate the procedures for the type-approval, verification and calibration of devices used to detect speeding offences. The aim is to resolve the numerous regulatory and enforcement uncertainties that have fuelled widespread disputes between motorists and local authorities in recent years. The measure comes into force on the day following its publication, i.e. from tomorrow, 12 July. The ministerial decree sets out the requirements for obtaining type-approval, “promotes in practice” the speed cameras approved since 2017 and applies only to offences detected from the date it comes into force.
It is not just the margin of error set at 3 km/h up to 100 per hour. It is not just the automatic blurring of faces in images taken head-on. The decree from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, which rewrites the rules for the type-approval of speed cameras, also includes a less obvious change: for the first time, numerical reliability parameters have been set which the devices must meet in order to be approved. According to a recent survey, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport states that the speed cameras currently in operation – because they meet the requirements for type-approval – number at around 3,150. For the remaining units – approximately 850 – manufacturers will have to apply for type-approval of the prototype by submitting the supplementary documentation required by the decree.
Interest rates: what makes them reliable
Among the new features is one that could be described as a sort of “reliability certificate”. It is no longer enough simply to measure speed. Speed cameras will have to demonstrate that they meet specific performance levels across a range of key functions. The vehicle detection rate must be at least 90 per cent. The correct association of speed with the detected vehicle must be at least 95 per cent. The same 95 per cent threshold applies to image capture and number plate recognition. Vehicle classification must also reach 90 per cent. These are parameters that form a direct part of the testing procedures and are designed to measure not only the accuracy of the detected speed, but the entire chain of events leading to the establishment of the offence.
Margins in speed measurement
The decree also addresses the issue of measurement accuracy. During type-approval tests, the value recorded by the device must not deviate by more than 3 km/h from the reference instrument for speeds up to 100 km/h. Above this threshold, the limit is set at 3 per cent. This is a technical requirement distinct from the tolerance applied to penalties, which remains as provided for under current legislation.
Controversies and appeals
