New Israeli Speed Camera Ticket System Promises More Fines
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Israel's traffic police have deployed a new laser speed gun, the LTI 20/20 TruCAM II, which includes a camera to record speeding vehicles. This technology allows for tickets to be mailed to drivers without requiring them to be stopped roadside, significantly increasing enforcement efficiency. While the device has limitations, such as effective range and weather dependency, it is expected to lead to a surge in traffic fines. The legal framework for handling traffic violations has also shifted to administrative courts for less severe offenses.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's traffic police have introduced a new "camera speed gun" that records speeding vehicles for mail-in tickets.
- The new device significantly increases officer efficiency, allowing for more tickets to be issued per shift.
- Drivers can still contest tickets based on factors like other vehicles in the lane or device calibration issues.
- A new administrative traffic court system now handles less severe offenses, including speeding tickets.
- The "camera speed gun" has a limited effective range of about 150 meters and cannot operate in poor weather.
Israel's traffic police have introduced a new laser speed measurement device, the LTI 20/20 TruCAM II, nicknamed the "camera speed gun." This device is equipped with a digital camera that records the offending vehicle through photos and video, meaning drivers can now receive speeding tickets by mail even if they are not pulled over at the scene. This new technology is expected to significantly increase the number of traffic tickets issued.
The "camera speed gun" operates alongside the older, traditional speed guns, which require officers to pursue a vehicle, maintain visual contact, stop the driver, and show them the measured speed. This process could take up to fifteen minutes per ticket. The new device allows officers to capture a vehicle's speed from a distance of just tens of meters, enabling them to hide more effectively and issue dozens of tickets per shift. Officers can operate the device from various locations, including pedestrian bridges over roadways, as long as it is connected to a power source.
However, the "camera speed gun" has technical limitations. Its camera is effective up to approximately 150 meters, preventing officers from hiding on distant hills. The device requires calibration at the start of each shift, and it cannot be operated in rain or fog. It also must be stationary, meaning it cannot be used from a moving vehicle.
While the photographic evidence reduces drivers' options for defense, some arguments remain. Claims of lost eye contact or confusion between vehicles are weakened by photo and video evidence. However, drivers can still contest tickets based on the presence of another vehicle in the lane, device calibration errors, adverse weather conditions preventing operation, or by questioning who was driving the vehicle. Since August 2024, administrative traffic offenses, including speeding tickets under a certain value, are no longer considered criminal but are handled by administrative traffic courts with 25 appointed adjudicators instead of judges. Serious offenses remain in traffic courts.
Tickets issued without stopping the vehicle are registered to the vehicle's owner under the presumption of ownership. Owners must then prove who was driving at the time of the offense. This is expected to lead to an increase in requests to transfer tickets from leasing companies and fleet managers. The article also discusses the A3 camera system, which has seen a reduction in active cameras, and the "BEE 3 IL" or "Dvora" radar system, which can operate from a moving vehicle but lacks a camera, requiring officers to maintain eye contact with the targeted vehicle.
