The DGT (Department of Transport) have been accused of taking measures to increase revenue rather than save lives. Motorist groups claim that 95% of radar cameras are placed on busy, fast, safe stretches of road such as motorways and dual carriageways where the fewest accidents attributable to speeding occur.
There are 524 fixed speed checkpoints with an additional 43 to be added this month. Only about a third of these contain cameras but they are all effective in slowing traffic down. Along with the fixed units, there are 240 cars equipped with mobile units to catch the unwary.
Be warned, Torrevieja is introducing a new ‘zero tolerance’ unit on the N332 between Punta Prima and La Zenia. If you pass through that at just one kilometre per hour over the limit then you can expect a fine. It is bound to catch loads of motorists and thus swell the coffers, especially in the tourist season. Drivers, aware of its presence will slow down only to be passed by those who haven’t twigged causing quite a few rear end shunts in the process.
What can the poor motorist do?
One measure that you can take is to use a GPS which shows you where the fixed points are. Or you can buy a radar detector which is illegal to operate in your car and so risk a fine of 160 Euros. Fortunately the newer units send out to weak a signal for the radar detection systems to pick up.
Alternatively you could simply keep below the speed limits but that would not be Spanish would it?
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