136.337 drivers over the limit during the pan-European police operation
The speed violation rate has increased by 88%, the results of the ROADPOL Speed Marathon 2021 prove this.
The Traffic Police throughout Europe dedicated the entire day of April 21 to manning the highways, to verify compliance with the speed limits by drivers of cars, motorcycles and heavy vehicles.
The SPEED MARATHON operation, a real 24-hour marathon for speed limit checks, was coordinated by ROADPOL, the European network of traffic police, to which almost all member countries, as well as Switzerland, Serbia, belong. Turkey and as an observer the Dubai Traffic Police, with the aim of raising awareness in those who get behind the wheel of the dangers involved when driving beyond the speed limits.
2.003.801 drivers were checked by 12.418 policemen in 16 countries during the annual 24-hour event of the European road police network ROADPOL.
As a result 136.337 drivers were found in violation. 90.682 of them were stopped for speeding fines at 7.971 checkpoints across the continent. An additional 45.655 drivers will be fined after violations that have been detected by speed cameras. Numerous driving licenses have been suspended or revoked. Compared to the previous speed marathon, an 88% increase in infringements was observed - from a breach rate of 3,6% in 2019 to 6,8% in 2021.
Excesses
262 km / h was the infamous record of this year's campaign. It was established by a Bentley driver in Belgium who drove 142km / h over the limit, on a highway with a limit of 120km / h. In Italy, two cars on the motorway at 236 and 235 km / h - more than 100 km / h over the limit of 130 km / h.
Cars were also detected at 209 km / h in the Netherlands, 191 km / h in Germany and 185 km / h in Serbia. One of the most glaring offenses was that of a driver who sped at 74 km / h in a zone of 30 km / h with an asylum nearby.
“Speed itself is not dangerous, but speeding is - especially in combination with other risk factors, such as mixed traffic with cars, trucks, motorcycles and buses on the freeway or highway or cars, bicycles and pedestrians in urban areas. Speeding is the main cause of around 25.000 fatal road collisions in Europe ”. “Fines are not the goal, but only the means. The goal is to make drivers aware of their dangerous behavior, ”commented the ROADPOL operations team.
ROADPOL Speed Marathon is a 24 hour event that takes place every year during the spring.
The next operation ROADPOL, Truck & Bus, is scheduled for 10 to 16 May 2021.