Six drivers test new rolling speed traps
Civilian drivers in Eure, Normandy are testing unmarked cars fitted with radars embarqués, readying the speed traps to be expanded into use across France in a bid to cut road deaths.
Six drivers are taking part in tests to approve automatic speed sensor camera equipment to catch speeding drivers.
In future, civilian drivers will replace about 400 gendarmes and police, who will switch to other duties from driving the 383 unmarked cars based in different parts of the country.
Although the cars – mostly low-profile Méganes or 308s – are cheap, the radar equipment is costly and they end up costing €100,000 each without labour and running charges.
However, they have only been running about 1hr 20min a day and the government wants to use civilian drivers to increase this to six or eight hours. They will drive on set accident blackspot routes to force drivers to slow down.
Sécurité Routière says speed is involved in one in four accidents and with road deaths rising for the past three years, it wants drivers to slow down.
Unmarked radar cars are all but undetectable on the road and while both government and drivers’ groups expect the number of fines to soar (up 25% to €844million in 2017 from last year’s €672m) the government says its drivers will not be paid on a results basis.
Eure was chosen for the tests as road deaths rose 20% in 2016 from 2015 and, despite tougher enforcement and penalties, have risen again this year.
Tests extend within Normandy in coming months and by September, when the first fines will be levied, each region will have 30 cars on the roads.
