New Speed Cameras Can Catch You Even If You Slow Down

A lot of people deal with speed cameras the same way - they spot them in the distance (or a bit closer, depending on how much attention they’re paying), brake, pass the camera, and speed up again. The thing is, that won’t necessarily avoid an unwelcome letter arriving from the authorities if you were driving past a new kind of camera recently trialled in Spain. 

It involves two additional radar detectors - one covering the road in front of the camera and one for the other side - which can pick up vehicles anything up to a kilometre away. So, if you brake at the sight of the thing, it might well be too late, and if you hoof it again after, you’ll be caught, too.

There are no reports of the technology being considered by UK police forces, but the Spanish trial is said to have been successful. And in any case, the UK is more than happy to try out new speed detection tech - only a few months ago four new bi-direction cameras were set up in Devon and Cornwall, catching thousands of motorists in the first few days of them being switched on. 

Road Angel, a manufacturer of speed camera detectors, weighed into the debate over the new cameras in Spain. Its founder Gary Digva said: 

“If introduced, these devices will catch and penalise more speeding motorists, encouraging more drivers to stick to legal limits and improve road safety.

"It comes after the news that one in four fatal collisions occur due to speeding on UK roads.

"This means that over 2,500 people are seriously injured every year due to excessive speeds.

"These shocking statistics alone should encourage motorists to think twice before speeding, yet it’s safe to say that the new technology will penalise even more motorists who are driving in excess of the legal limit, therefore helping to keep UK roads safer for all users.

“By capturing drivers who slam on the brakes before passing the fixed speed camera, as well as using technology to apprehend motorists who speed up again after the camera, the new radar devices will be able to penalise many more motorists than current systems.

"Although the fight goes on to reduce incidences of speeding on UK roads and accidents resulting from excess speed we believe introducing this new technology to the UK will help keep roads safer.”