New Speed Cameras to Hit the UK Soon?

The world of speed cameras might be due a big upgrade, as new technology might be ready to come into force as early as next year - 2024 - in the UK. This pioneering new technology is designed to try and curb the rise of speeding and prevent it from becoming too much of an issue, but it’s important to understand how they work.

Trials in Spain

The original trials for the cameras took place in Spain, and they have been designed for the purpose of making sure that more accurate speed limit checks can be carried out. The cameras are going to be much more effective at catching speeding than before. They have also been designed to circumvent the big problem that frequently crops up with speeding cameras, which is the fact that they are often damaged in areas where they are placed, most often by annoyed drivers.

New Technology

The latest method works by using what is called a mobile radar device. It’s put in a different location to the typical fixed camera. This means that any driver who slows down once they see the first camera is instead caught out by the radar device.

The logic is, naturally, based on the idea that the camera will take a photo of the car, as it is driving away, as most drivers won’t be able to notice a camera flash in the rearview mirror.

Divisive Opinions

Understandably, something like this generates more than a few opinions. Road Angel is a dash cam company operating in the UK, and the founder, Gary Digva, had this to say:

“From the information I have, this technology will probably be making its way over to the UK towards this part of next year.

They are trying to stop that pre-braking. If you look at a motorway and see a camera on a gantry, drivers slam their brakes on whether they are travelling at 80-90 mph… whatever the speed is, they slam the brakes on.

That's what the anti-braking cameras are supposed to come in to do, to say actually you were speeding.

The fact you've seen the camera and slowed down is irrelevant as you were speeding pre-camera.”

A New Era For Speeding?

Understandably, something like this will undoubtedly bring about a new arrow for speeding cameras, and hopefully stop more people from speeding. It’s always a dangerous activity when people choose to engage in it, and the results can cost people their lives, so new cameras with more advanced technology will undoubtedly help to make the roads a safer place.

We will have to wait and see just how quickly the technology gets introduced, because it’s not going to be until next year at least. However, with successful test runs conducted in Spain, it’s very likely that this kind of technology will make its way over to the UK, by which point we can begin to Make real change.

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