Israeli Police Adjust Speed Camera Enforcement Thresholds Based on Road Conditions

In response to rising road fatality rates, the Israeli Police Traffic Department announced a new enforcement policy for highway speed cameras effective in the coming days. Instead of the previous uniform threshold of 10-15 km/h above the speed limit, each speed camera will now enforce a different speed threshold tailored to the specific road conditions and professional assessments. This decision followed a comprehensive review of the nationwide speed camera network, analyzing road characteristics, traffic volumes, accident data, injury numbers, and risk factors for each location.

The Traffic Department chief, Commissioner Chaim Shmueli, approved the updated enforcement thresholds to better reflect actual road conditions and focus enforcement efforts on high-risk areas. The police emphasized that the goal is not to issue fines but to save lives, prevent accidents, and create deterrence to reduce fatalities and injuries on the roads.

Last month, the Traffic Department launched the "Road Police" project, a new technological enforcement system designed to capture dangerous traffic violations in real time. About 100 cameras were installed in the department's mobile units, with plans to expand to hundreds more in both visible and covert vehicles nationwide. This system enables officers to document violations such as driving on shoulders, illegal overtaking, running red lights, and endangering other road users without physically stopping drivers. Recorded footage is sent to a national processing center where traffic citations are generated and mailed to vehicle owners.