Which types of speed cameras are in use in Germany – and how many km/h tolerances are deducted.
According to Statista, excessive speeds in road traffic were responsible for around 36,700 accidents with personal injuries in 2021. Speed checks are intended to ensure more safety on the roads. The police use different techniques for this. There are permanently installed and mobile systems. The most well-known speed cameras are permanently installed radar and laser devices. Today, laser measurement technology is predominantly used. If a road user drives too fast, a photo is taken, usually – but not always – accompanied by a flash. Hence the term speed camera. Laser guns that emit light pulses and determine the speed based on the reflected light are very handy and therefore mobile. But there are also contacts in the road, so-called induction loops or piezo sensors, which are triggered when you drive over them. The speed of vehicles can also be determined using several light barriers set up one behind the other. But there are also video tracking systems in which a police vehicle follows a potential speeder and thus determines his speed. What all of these measurement techniques have in common is a certain inaccuracy. That is why the legislature has introduced a tolerance that is deducted pro forma from the measured speed. For violations of up to 100 km/h, this is 3 kilometers per hour, which will always be deducted. At speeds over 100 km/h it is 3 percent. For the video tracking systems mentioned, the tolerance is at least 5 percent.
Source: Stern
I’m a recent graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. I started working as a news reporter for 24 Hours World about two years ago, and I’ve been writing articles ever since. My main focus is automotive news, but I’ve also written about politics, lifestyle, and entertainment.
