Vehicles speeding decreased by 80% in areas where new radars were installed a month ago, but, compared to the previous year, infractions doubled, according to the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR).
Since September 1st, Portuguese roads have had 37 new radars, 12 of which control average speed.
In an assessment of the first month, the authorities indicate that there were no serious injuries or deaths recorded in the area of influence of the new radars and the “number of vehicles speeding reduced by 80%, when compared to measurements carried out before entry into operation”. .
Throughout the National Speed Control System (SINCRO – 61 initial radars and 37 new ones), during the month of September, almost 20 million vehicles were inspected by ANSR, an increase of 76%, when compared to the same period last year , the authorities said in a statement.
In the same period, the number of registered infractions was 112.744 and the infraction rate increased from 0,29% to 0,57% between 2022 and 2023, that is, for every thousand vehicles inspected, six were fined this year, while in the last year there were only three.
«The objectives of the ANSR in the areas of influence of the new radars, during this period, were fully achieved, namely: a strong decrease in the speed of vehicles, a strong decrease in vehicles speeding excessively and a road accident with a severity index of zero, with zero deaths and zero serious injuries», can be read in the statement.
The «new speed control locations were selected based on two fundamental criteria: serious accidents and speed, particularly where excessive speed proved to be relevant to this accident», recalls the ANSR.
In these places, in the last five years, 115 people died, representing a quarter of the deaths that occurred in the 175 places of concentration of fatal accidents identified by ANSR.
The average speed reduction was most evident (95%) in the radars on National Roads 10 (Vila Franca de Xira) and 206 (Fafe) and Benavente (EN119) was where the most speeding was recorded.
The increase in infractions should decrease, according to ANSR, admitting the deterrent effect of these radars, «as the effort to publicize and promote the location of speed cameras develops».
To this end, «ANSR adopted a policy of total transparency, advertising and publicizing in advance the locations where the radars are installed, through the “Os Radares Salvam Vidas” campaign in different media, on the website www.radaresavista.pt and on radar signage. , ensuring public knowledge of the location of all SINCRO radars», can also be read in the statement.
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