New Anti-braking Speed Cameras Could Come to the UK

Drivers have been warned that UK roads could soon be equipped with devices designed to detect harsh braking following successful implementation in Spain.

The groundbreaking new technology will penalise drivers who attempt to avoid penalties by braking harshly to slow down for speed cameras and then speeding back up too quickly after passing them.

Road safety experts at Road Angel are calling for the implementation of the technology and have reminded all motorists to take responsibility for driving at the correct speed limit regardless of any new enforcement measures.

The anti-braking devices were trialled in early 2020 and have now been officially rolled out in the Navarra region of North-East Spain after a successful pilot scheme.

Experts are warning drivers that the high-tech devices could be rolled out to the UK after proving effective in catching motorists trying to evade fines for speeding.

Many drivers are guilty of pushing down hard on the brake pedal to reach the legal speed limit on approaching a speed camera and then pressing back down on the accelerator after passing the surveillance zone.

Despite breaking the legal speed limit, this manoeuvre often allows drivers to escape receiving points on their licence, fines, or driving penalties.

Modern technology has been designed to make it harder for drivers to evade penalties, such as using laser systems and ‘Doppler effect technology’ to accurately record the speed of a vehicle over a certain distance.

Average speed cameras are also a common sight up and down UK roads, where two devices record a vehicle’s number plate to calculate its average speed between both cameras.

However, the Spanish government have gone even further by introducing anti-braking radars and new technology known as cascading.

The cascading system involves installing a mobile radar device a significant distance (sometimes over a kilometre) after a fixed speed camera to detect those motorists who speed up again after passing the first camera, thinking they got away with it.

The second mobile speed camera will then catch the speeding driver and may receive a hefty fine and points on their licence.

Anti-braking systems have a mobile device before the fixed speed camera to detect drivers slamming on their brakes before reaching the signposted camera.

Therefore, those speeding motorists who brake harshly as soon as the speed camera is visible have already been caught by the previous mobile device.

Gary Digva, founder of Road Angel, has warned all UK drivers that these new anti-braking systems could be used nationwide to control speeding.

He said: “If introduced, these devices will catch and penalise more speeding motorists, encouraging more drivers to stick to legal limits and improve road safety.

“It comes after the news that one in four fatal collisions occur due to speeding on UK roads. Over 2,500 people are seriously injured yearly due to excessive speeds.

“These shocking statistics alone should encourage motorists to think twice before speeding, yet it’s safe to say that the new technology will penalise even more motorists driving more than the legal limit, helping to keep UK roads safer for all users.

“By capturing drivers who slam on the brakes before passing the fixed speed camera, as well as using technology to apprehend motorists who speed up again after the camera, the new radar devices will be able to penalise many more motorists than current systems.

“Although the fight goes on to reduce speeding incidents on UK roads and accidents resulting from excess speed, we believe introducing this new technology to the UK will help keep roads safer.”

To learn more about the new anti-braking and cascading speed cameras, visit https://www.roadangelgroup.com/