One of Spain’s busiest velocity cameras keeping a adjacent oculus connected drivers – these high-tech devices are down thousands of fines each year. Credit : rafa jodar, Shutterstock
Ever consciousness for illustration you can’t thrust 10 minutes successful Spain without spotting a speed camera? You’re not wrong, particularly if you walk done immoderate of nan country’s worst hotspots for postulation fines.
It turns retired location are a fewer places connected Spanish roads wherever your chances of getting flashed by a velocity camera are almost arsenic precocious arsenic uncovering a café con leche. And according to nan latest stats, location are 3 locations that put each nan others to shame, handing retired truthful galore fines you’d deliberation they were printing money.
Meet Spain’s fine-printing machines
Let’s commencement pinch nan large one: Madrid’s infamous M-40 astatine kilometre 20.2. If you’re heading past MercaMadrid, support your wits astir you. This camera is simply a champion—no, really, it’s Spain’s undisputed leader successful issuing fines. Last twelvemonth alone, it caught astir 120,000 drivers going excessively fast. Even pinch a “slowdown” this year, it’s still averaging a caller good each 8 minutes. Blink and you mightiness miss nan sign—but you won’t miss nan summons erstwhile it lands connected your doorstep.
Then there’s Málaga’s A-7 astatine kilometre 968. This one’s a due symptom for locals and visitors alike, snapping complete 67,000 motorists past year. If you thought coastal drives were astir relaxing, this spot of roadworthy will support you connected edge.
Third spot goes to Navarra’s A-15, adjacent Lekunberri (km 127.6). Here, nan camera nabbed almost 51,000 drivers successful 2023. Imagine, 7 group an hr getting dinged conscionable trying to make their measurement towards Pamplona.
How are they doing it?
So what makes these cameras truthful ‘efficient’? It’s not magic, it’s a full arsenal. Fixed radars, mobile units hidden successful constabulary cars, nan high-tech Velolaser (which tin beryllium tucked distant conscionable astir anywhere), and let’s not hide astir those helicopters pinch cameras that spot speeders from above. Add successful mean velocity checkpoints, red-light cams, and moreover typical cameras for seatbelts, and you commencement to get why driving successful Spain sometimes feels for illustration moving a gauntlet.
And it’s not slowing down. The DGT is readying to instal much than a 100 caller radars this year, pinch galore popping up successful Andalusia, Valencia, Alicante, and elsewhere. The aim? To get Spanish roads moreover safer—or, depending connected really you look astatine it, to support nan fines rolling in.
Why velocity cameras matter for drivers successful Spain
The charismatic statement is roadworthy safety. And, to beryllium fair, nan numbers backmost it up: nan postulation ministry says deaths connected nan roadworthy are down 75% since nan first activity of cameras went up 2 decades ago. But nan reality is, astir drivers don’t attraction astir nan stats erstwhile they spot that dreaded letter cover from nan DGT. For many, velocity limits tin consciousness arbitrary—especially connected stretches wherever nan posted velocity drops abruptly conscionable earlier a camera.
Yet, whether you’re a section successful a hurry aliases a tourer enjoying a roadworthy trip, it pays to play by nan rules. The fines aren’t pouch change, and missing nan informing signs intends you could extremity up pinch much than a sunburn arsenic a vacation souvenir.
Stay alert: Speed cameras are everyplace successful Spain
So adjacent clip you’re down nan instrumentality successful Spain, remember: velocity cameras are everywhere—and immoderate spots are existent magnets for fines. Don’t spot your GPS to pass you, don’t expect each camera to beryllium intelligibly signposted, and decidedly don’t deliberation you’ll beryllium nan 1 to get distant pinch it.
Stick to nan limit, bask nan drive, and support your money successful your wallet. The only point you should beryllium collecting connected your Spanish roadworthy travel are bully memories—not speeding tickets.
Stay tuned pinch Euro Weekly News for much news astir Motoring