Are you planning a trip through Europe? On your journey, you may encounter various types of speed checks that you might not be familiar with from home.
With Drive One, you stay safe on the road: Drive One informs you in advance about all types of speed cameras and danger zones. The app provides you with detailed notifications and pop-ups that tell you exactly what kind of monitoring to expect. However, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the local laws regarding speed camera alerts. You can learn more about German law on our information page.
Mobile Speed Cameras
These temporary controls can appear anywhere the police decide to measure, often up to a kilometer away.
Speed Camera Vans: Similar to at home, you will find parked vans on the roadside or on bridges in many countries that specifically measure speed. In some cases, these vans are hard to spot, especially when hidden among parked cars.
Laser Guns: Often used by motorcycle police, these devices are particularly active on highways and main roads. They can measure up to 1500 meters away and are more common on country roads.
Fixed Speed Cameras
These permanently installed cameras are widespread and very effective in some countries, such as Sweden. They measure speed at a fixed point and are usually well-signposted.
Fixed speed cameras: This is a completely permanent installation that measures your speed at a single point. In many countries, it must be clearly signposted that a speed check is ahead. Therefore, the classic fixed speed camera is relatively easy for most drivers to handle and is often considered "more fair" than mobile speed cameras.
Section control: These measure your average speed over longer distances and are used in many European countries, especially where variable speed limits apply.
Combined Red Light and Speed Cameras: In many European cities, you will find cameras that capture both red light violations and speeding offenses.
Traffic Cameras
While many countries have only a few types of speed cameras, there are a variety of traffic cameras across Europe that have nothing to do with your speed. These include, among others:
- Red light cameras
- Height control
- Weight control
- Overtaking control
- Distance control
- Bus lane control
- Mobile phone control (experimental)
Generally, as with fixed speed cameras, there are often warning signs before you encounter these controls.
Special Caution in Road Construction Areas
Road works often leads to reduced speed limits, traffic jams, changed lanes, and workers on the road. Due to these additional safety risks, many countries have stricter penalties for speeding in construction zones. Therefore, the police often use speed cameras in areas with road construction. We also advise you to pay extra attention to your speed, both because of the strict penalties and the additional safety risks that may arise.
Customize Your Alerts in Drive One
Remember that in the Drive One app, you can not only enable and disable alerts but also choose when you want to be warned. For example, you might want to be warned 1500 meters before a mobile speed camera, but prefer a closer alert for a fixed speed camera.
You can also activate a second warning closer to the camera if you want to be even more secure.
With this information, you are well-prepared to travel safely through Europe.
