Fixed, mobile or medium-speed, the most common types of radars to combat speeding are not exactly adored by the overwhelming majority of drivers, who advocate for more didactic, preventive approaches. Such as the so-called educational radars, whose objective is only to alert the driver to the infraction, without penalizing them for it.
You have certainly come across one of these devices, more common on secondary roads or within towns, which incorporate the exact same systems for measuring instant speed, using cameras and laser radar, with a range of action between 50 and 300 meters, connected to an informative LED panel, which varies according to the need: broadcasting a friendly message when the speed is legal, usually the popular figure of a smile, a smiley face. Or showing a sad “face” when exceeding the limits of the road.
The objective is to raise awareness among drivers, dissuade them from exceeding the speed limits to reduce the risk of accidents, instead of fining them. Although, authorities acknowledge that the doubt they generate in several motorists also leads to the natural tendency to ease off the accelerator. Will they fine, or won’t they…?
