According to the Road Safety website, it is possible to drive at 145 km/h without being flashed. A sentence that seems surprising.
We know that hitting the road is not a trivial action, despite what some might think. Indeed, the risk of accident remains very present, particularly during this winter season. And Road Safety keeps telling us this, with lots of awareness campaigns, not to mention the growing number of speed cameras throughout France. Because we know, the government wants to do everything to reduce the number of road deaths over the years.
A strange statement from Road Safety
Moreover, the interministerial body regularly reminds that speed is one of the main causes of accidents, urging motorists to exercise the greatest caution and to respect the limits. However, a little sentence slipped by Road Safety on its website risks getting people talking about it, and perhaps even changing certain behaviors on the road. In a section of his FAQ dedicated to the margins of error of mobile radars, the organization explains that it is possible to drive at significant speeds without risking being flashed.
A revelation which could well give ideas to some drivers. The “tolerated” speed in question would be 145 km/h on the meter on the motorway, according to the calculation margins applied. In fact, the radars take into account a technical margin, i.e. 10 km/h or 10% of the actual speed, in favor of the driver. Road Safety illustrates its point with the example of a motorist traveling at 130 km/h. According to his explanations, the radars would only trigger from 146 km/h. In the FAQ of its site, the following question is asked: “Radar car: how is the selected speed calculated? “.
A technical margin above all
The response, rather unexpected, details the trigger thresholds: on motorways, the flash occurs above 145 km/h on the speedometer, while in built-up areas, you have to reach 61 km/h to be fined. This information, although relevant to understanding how radars work, raises questions. Some could interpret these margins as tacit permission to drive beyond the posted limits, at the risk of developing bad habits.
Driving at 145 km/h on the motorway instead of the regulatory 130 km/h may seem trivial to some, but it considerably increases the risks in the event of an accident. This is also why Road Safety insists on the importance of understanding the principle of actual speed and chosen speed. The speed used is that appearing on the infraction report, after application of the tolerance margin. For example, a driver photographed at 152 km/h on the motorway will be fined for a speed of 136 km/h, or 10% less.
If the objective is to educate motorists on the subtleties of radars and the fines system, this transparency could nevertheless have a perverse effect. Some might consider themselves free to go slightly beyond the limits, which is not without danger. However, these details remain useful to demystify the methods of checks and help drivers to better understand the fines they receive.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
