Soaring Radar Car Counts: Essential Insights Before Year's End Reach
Getting caught speeding in France just got a whole lot worse. The Traffic Safety Agency is tripling the number of unmarked speed cameras on French roads by the end of 2025, transforming these scrupulous devices into a constant presence on the country's most hazardous highways. But which departments will be stretched to their speeding-enforcement limits? Here's what you need to know.
☛ Infrared invaders
The fleet of sneaky, unmarked speed cameras is predicted to grow from around 90 vehicles to a whopping 300, according to RMC. These private, 24/7 speed-trap-on-wheels will be flying under the radar—quite literally—patrolling relentlessly, all day, every day, on France's deadliest roads. Their mission: to catch speeding fools like you and me, using state-of-the-art infrared cameras that are virtually invisible to the human eye.
☛ Spot the spotter
Currently, these speed cameras can be found in approximately 60 French departments. But soon, they will extend their tendrils to new territories like the Ardèche, Ariège, Bouches-du-Rhône, and Cantal by June 2025. Come July, they'll be lurking on the streets of the Ain, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Haute-Loire, Lot, Pyrénées-Orientales, and Tarn-et-Garonne. The range and mobility of these high-tech enforcers are determined by the prefectures, allowing them to set a predetermined itinerary and hide in plain sight.
☛ A flash in the pan
Part of their tactical prowess lies in their ability to flash in both directions and remain undetected, with drivers being notified of their transgressions only via a ticket, days after the fact. And unlike regular speed cameras, these speed-demon hunters aren't incentivized by the number of tickets issued, but rather the number of kilometers driven. Four major players dominate the speed-camera market in France.
☛ The great speed camera controversy
The increased use of these unmarked speed cameras is not without controversy. While some applaud the move as an essential mechanism for promoting driver safety, others decry it as a profit-driven, punitive tactic. The association 40 millions d'automobilistes contends that delegating a matter of public safety to private companies whose primary objective is profit is absurd. Pierre Chasseray, the association's general delegate, accuses the government of engaging in a policy of "extortion" against drivers, while ignoring more egregious transgressions, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol[1].
By the end of 2025, you could be cruising down the road without a care in the world, only to receive a speeding ticket a week later. Don't say we didn't warn you!
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Relevant Themes:- Radar- Road safety- Speed limit- Speeding- Car- Speed- Fine- Controversy- Unethical corporation practices- Government policies
[1] 40 millions d'automobilistes. (n.d.). Les vigiles automobiles : C'est quoi-même ce gouvernement de highwaymans? [the translation is yours to craft] Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.40millionsdautomobilistes.fr/actualites/les-vigiles-automobiles-cest-quoi-ensemble-ce-gouvernement-de-highwaymans[2] France TV Info. (2019, September 10). France has a bigger speeding problem than we thought. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.francetvinfo.fr/decryptage/transport/speed-cameras-radars-recrever--en-lignede-grille-mobile-qui-contrechere--sont-le-probleme-francais-plus-deja-au-coeur-du-debat_3486992.html[3] Franceinfo. (2021, September 21). Radars mobiles déployés dans neuf nouveaux départements en 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.francetvinfo.fr/economie/transport/radars-mobiles-depasepar-noveaux-departements-en-2025_3925484.html
Drivers beware, as these machines, armed with advanced infrared technology, will be taking action against speeding violations in sports-like precision, covering a wide range of French departments by the end of 2025. However, the increase in these speed cameras has sparked controversy, with certain groups accusing the government of engaging in unethical practices, prioritizing profit over public safety.
