On September 7, changes to the Road Traffic Act will come into force, which provide for increased control over drivers and new, higher sanctions, including for exceeding the average speed. How exactly will it be calculated, how will the cameras work and is it possible for drivers to "outsmart" the system? The topic was commented on by lawyer Iliya Todorov from the Bulgarian Association of Accident Victims in the “Interview in NOVA News”.
Lawyer Todorov explained that the cameras will detect the time for passing between two points – for example, from Vakarel to Ihtiman, and based on the distance and time, they will calculate whether the driver has exceeded the average speed limit.
„If the driver stops for coffee or shopping, this can lower his average speed and avoid a penalty. Therefore, it is important that the checkpoints are many and at short distances. Only in this way will the system be effective and difficult to circumvent“, Todorov pointed out.
According to his data, there are currently 22 sections where average speed will be detected.
„The promise is to control 1,200 kilometers of road network, including first-class roads, by the end of the year. But even then half of the routes will remain unmarked“, he specified.
Attorney Todorov emphasized that the sign industry in our country also needs to be cleaned up, as there are outdated, outdated or redundant signs in many places.
“The so-called ‘feeders’ - sections where fines are collected only for incorrectly placed signs - should be stopped,“ said Todorov.
According to the lawyer, a more precise distinction should be introduced between momentary speeding and long-term violation of the average speed.
“Driving at 150 km/h for a short section is different from maintaining an average speed of 150 km/h - because this means that in places you were driving at 180 or even 200 km/h. "The sanctions should reflect this difference," he argued.
Currently, average speed cameras do not detect the current speed, but according to Todorov, he is confident that this will change in the future.