Italy deactivates 850 speed cameras under new technical rules

Italy has introduced new regulations for speed cameras, mandating significantly stricter technical requirements and a standardized type-approval process. This move is set to impact the operation of speed measurement devices across the country.

Following a decree published in June, speed cameras lacking the required type approval can no longer be used to issue fines. Consequently, around 850 of the approximately 4,000 speed cameras installed in Italy have been temporarily deactivated. This regulation aims to resolve a legal dispute that has persisted for decades regarding the approval of speed detection devices and to curb the numerous legal challenges that have arisen in recent years.

The new decree establishes a unified procedure for type approval for the first time. All devices must now be calibrated before being put into operation, and annual technical inspections are mandatory. If a device's inspection certificate expires, it cannot be used, and no fines can be issued until it passes a subsequent inspection. While transitional arrangements apply to 3,150 existing devices, the 850 older units do not meet the new standards and must be switched off. Experts caution that drivers might misinterpret the deactivation as a free pass, particularly with the busy summer travel season approaching, as road fatalities in Italy remain a concern.