Speed cameras are used to detect the speed of vehicles by using the detectors which are embedded into the road surface or radar technology. Speed cameras can monitor multiple lanes. Vehicles cannot avoid camera detection by straddling lines. A speeding vehicle can be detected and can be photographed even if it is within a line of vehicles. If the speed of vehicle exceeds the legal limit a digital picture is taken of the offending vehicle. Digital images also include the following
- Date of offence
- Time of offence
- Speed of the offending vehicle
- The lane that the vehicle was traveling within
- Other security and integrated parameters.
Gatso
The gatso speed camera is probably the most recognizable. It uses radar speed signs to detect the traveling speed of a vehicle, which built inside a bright yellow box. When a car moves past the camera at high speed, it sets of the camera taking two separate photographs. Each photograph is taken at the time interval of 0.5 seconds and using lines painted on the road it calculates the speed of traveling vehicle. Calculating the speed of vehicles is simple. All the verifier has to calculate how far the car has travelled between the each photograph, using the road markings as indicators.
Truvelo and traffiphot
Like the gatso these cameras are also built in bright yellow boxes. These are more sophisticated, using sensors build into the road surface. They work out the speed of car by measuring how far the car has travelled over a specific period of time. The camera takes a picture of speeding vehicle which gives the authorities a record of the offender number of plate.
Average speed cameras
These cameras are also known as SPECS, which means Speed check Enforcement System. These are rather simplistic and catch the speeding drivers by calculating how far they had travelled between two points. This distance can be miles apart, so the idea is to enforce the slower speeds for the longer period of time, rather than just the exact camera sites.
Lastec 20/20
These types of cameras use both laser and infrared technology to calculate the speed of travelling vehicles. They will photograph car twice with a speed gun and calculate how long it takes the light waves to travel to and from the vehicles. Once the operator pulls the trigger, the light pulses are sent out, striking the vehicle before being sent back to the camera. You will see these mobile cameras within the camera vans for the protection of the operator. Multiple readings are taken each time to ensure that the reading is correct, before the system establishes a speed in just 0.3 seconds. This camera also helps you in providing Parking Guidance Solutions with the help of
Hadecs 3 speed cameras
It means Highway Agency Digital Enforcement Camera System 3 and it is being installed on the sections of the smart motor ways in UK. These cameras are very small in size and painted grey color tether than bright yellow. This makes hard to spot at the road side or within the overhead gantries.
Siemen safe zone speed camera
This is one of the latest speed camera enabled with dynamic message signs. These safe zone cameras use sicore automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to calculate the average speed of each vehicle between the pairs of speed cameras. They are replacing speed cameras as a part of contract between the Siemens and transport for London.
These are the different types of speed cameras. These are not only used in UK but also used in different countries like America, Australia, etc.
