Speed cameras will soon be able to catch drivers constantly speeding on both regional roads and motorways after more money has been allocated to process fines.
Speeding remains one of the three main killers in traffic, along with drink-driving and the use of mobile phones behind the wheel.
If all drivers everywhere respected speed limits, there would be 140 fewer deaths and 550 fewer serious injuries on Belgian roads every year, according to Traffic Safety Insititute Vias. This highlights that targeting such behaviour is key when it comes to meeting Belgium's target of zero traffic deaths by 2050.
The country is stepping up efforts to catch more people in the act. The Federal Government last year provided more money for the Federal Police to increase better road safety, a budget for which the purpose has now been made concrete.
Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) has confirmed the extra budget that will be used, among other things. Belgium will hire additional staff in the regional processing centres of the Federal Police, where the bulk of traffic fines are processed, Het Nieuwsblad reported on Wednesday. Once the staffing framework is complete, 187 people will be employed in these centres.
This should guarantee an almost doubling of the current processing capacity (5 million per year) to 9 million fines for traffic violations per year or an average of 1,000 fines per hour.
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The increased processing capacity will ensure that speed cameras on regional roads and mobile cameras that regularly change location can work continuously, while more local route controls can then be activated.
This means the zero-tolerance policy that was enforced on motorways – which ensures fixed speed cameras here always flash drivers, even those going a little over the speed limit – can be rolled out on regional and local roads too.
