Advertisement

Ban on speed camera warnings 'outdated'

Author thumbnail
Ban on speed camera warnings 'outdated'
Photo: DPA

The current German ban on devices which warn drivers about speed cameras as they approach – giving them a chance to re-enter the speed limit before being caught, could soon be lifted.

Advertisement

Politicians from Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and their Free Democrat coalition partners are considering changing the law to allow the use of mobile apps and navigation systems equipped with the detectors, the Saarbrücker Zeitung newspaper said on Wednesday.

Germany has around 3,800 permanent speed cameras, which photograph speeding drivers and mail the car's owner a pricey ticket.

Most of them are installed at accident blackspots, Christian Democrat transport expert Thomas Jarzombek told the paper.

"It makes sense if as many people as possible, including out-of-towners, are made aware of the dangerous areas,” he said.

"We want to differentiate between traffic safety and a money-making racket," Jarzombeck said.

Free Democrat MP Oliver Luksic called the ban on radar warnings "outdated," and said Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer should look into the matter.

But not everyone agrees with allowing drivers to find out about speed cameras in advance.

Police union GdP chairman Bernhard Witthaut told public broadcaster ZDF speed enforcement cameras would continue to be posted in accident-prone areas and "in my opinion, those should not be announced."

The Saarbrücker Zeitung reported that a draft of the CDU and FDP proposal said that navigation devices should be permitted to inform drivers about speed cameras within a zone of about 500 metres.

"Thus, the particular area in which the driver exercises extreme caution is expanded," the draft said.

The Local/DAPD/sh

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also