New ‘stealth’ speed camera vans out in force on UK roads
Unmarked police vans painted grey are being use in Northamptonshire for a trial which, if a success, could be rolled out nationally.
It is not a legal requirement for police or local authorities to alert drivers about speed cameras.
It is hoped it will make drivers more aware of their speed at all times, rather than slowing down for a visible police van only to accelerate above the speed limit once passed.
Erin Yurday, co-founder and CEO of NimbleFins, said: "Speeding not only puts you and others at risk of accident and injury, but also of being handed penalty points - both of which can make your car insurance premiums rise dramatically.
"Points can stay on your licence for between four and 11 years and there is no way to hide them from an insurance company. If you don't disclose a driving conviction when getting insurance, the insurer will invalidate your policy when they find out.
"The best way to avoid driving licence points and an expensive car insurance premium is to assume there is someone monitoring your speed at all times."
The trial comes as police in Devon and Cornwall became the first to use drones to record poor driving.
The kit can track vehicle speeds by using fixed positions on dangerous roads and also film incidents, recording proof of dangerous driving.
MOT, tax and insurance details can also be checked, just like a police officer on the streets would be able to. This will help officers detect stolen vehicles and dangerous drivers and make arrests easier.
The drones are currently being used to monitor motorcyclists who, police say, are at the highest risk of being in a crash.
Chief Inspector Ben Asprey, head of roads policing at Devon and Cornwall Police, told the Daily Telegraph: “In 2022, 16 motorcyclists were killed on Devon and Cornwall’s roads – the highest figure in the past five years. A further 187 were also left seriously injured.
“Despite motorcyclists making up less than one percent of overall traffic, they account for roughly a third of all serious and fatal collisions in our area.
“Speed and inappropriate riding have been major contributory factors in the motorcycle collisions we have attended. Travelling too fast gives you less time to react and dramatically increases their risk of being fatally or seriously injured."
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