Speed Camera Marathon Underway in Hesse – Police Conducting Nationwide Controls

Focus on Tree-Lined Avenues and Rural Roads

Peggy Baier, head of traffic police at the Brandenburg West Police Directorate, pointed to the special focus on tree-lined avenues. "Wir werden unsere Geschwindigkeitsmessgeräte nicht nur auf Bundesautobahnen aufstellen, sondern uns auf die ländlichen Bereiche, insbesondere Alleen, konzentrieren," she explained. Long, tree-lined roads are particularly accident-prone due to their often monotonous course when drivers travel too fast.

Police in Hesse also pointed out that the checkpoints are directed at all road users, including motorcyclists and trucks. So-called section controls, in which average speed is measured over a longer stretch, are also being deployed. Violations are punished with fines, driving bans, or points in Flensburg.

Criticism and Approval from Motoring Clubs

The AvD motoring club emphasized that speed checks are generally sensible as long as they serve road safety. However, checks must not "in erster Linie der Einnahmeerzielung dienen." Otherwise, there is a risk that public acceptance will decline. The AvD therefore demanded that measurement locations be selected and communicated transparently.

From the ADAC's perspective, the speed camera marathon is particularly effective when it goes hand in hand with education and clear traffic signs. The club noted that pure penalties change behavior in the short term, but that consistent traffic education remains necessary in the long term. Both motoring clubs announced that they would inform their members about the most important checkpoints and applicable speed limits during the action week.

Experience from previous speed camera marathons has shown that the number of speeding violations drops measurably immediately after the start of the operation, but often returns to usual levels over the following weeks. Police therefore hope that repeating such actions multiple times, combined with other preventive measures, will lead to a lasting change in mindset. Apps and navigation services that warn of known measurement points are also expected to be updated more frequently during this week, according to experience.

Measurement Locations Remain Secret

The Hessian police stated that they would not announce the exact locations of the measurement devices in advance, in order to maximize the element of surprise. Mobile checks using handheld laser devices are also being deployed throughout the state. Road users must therefore expect checks at any time and should adhere to the applicable speed limits.

According to the coordinating authorities, the operation will run until the end of the current week. Afterwards, the participating federal states want to evaluate the results, including the number of vehicles measured, the scale of recorded violations, and the number of cases of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The findings are to be incorporated into future enforcement concepts.

In addition to the speed checks, authorities are using the action week to draw attention to other road traffic risks, such as using a phone while driving, driving without a seatbelt, or failing to maintain safe distances. Police appealed to all road users to use the operation as an opportunity to critically review their own driving behavior. Even those who follow the rules help reduce the number of accidents.

According to the ADAC and AvD, several European countries are taking part in comparable actions this week, including Austria, the Netherlands, and parts of Belgium. The goal is a cross-border signal for greater road safety. The police in Hesse hope that participation in "Speedweek" will ensure that awareness of the issue of speed limits continues beyond the actual action week.