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Spain is set to follow France in introducing new mobile speed radars mounted on wheeled platforms, Interior Minister Fernando Grande Marlaska announced on Wednesday. These innovative radars, already used successfully in France for some years, can be easily moved and deployed to monitor speeding in specific road areas.

 

Announcing the plan alongside the summer road accident report, which recorded 228 fatalities, the minister explained that these autonomous radars are particularly useful for traffic control in roadwork zones. “Their advantage is that they adapt quickly to changing speed limits, especially in two- or three-kilometre stretches where temporary speed signs are in place,” he said.

 

Unlike fixed cameras, these car radars use laser pulses to measure speed and can simultaneously monitor multiple lanes up to 75 metres away in both directions. They are also equipped with built-in Wi-Fi for easy data transmission.

 

The Catalan Transit Authority has already invested two million euros in these radars, using them for several months. Marlaska indicated there are plans to expand their use across Spain next year.

 

In France, the introduction of these mobile radars led to a rise of over 26 per cent in detected violations during their first year, generating an additional €25.6 million in fines, according to manufacturer Vitronic.

Speeding remains one of the leading causes of road accidents in Spain, alongside driver distractions, making such innovations important in the national road safety strategy.

 

 

 

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