Speed Cameras in Italy
If you are coming to Italy on your holidays this summer, then watch your speed, otherwise you will end up on camera, and this particular snapshot will result in a fine dropping through your letterbox at some time in the future. UPDATED with information on the ‘Tutor‘ system and speed limit for certain sections of Italy’s autostrada.
The term for speed camera in Italy is ‘autovelox‘, and the Italian police use both fixed and mobile speed cameras to check that you are staying within the limits.
To help you watch your speed, here are some photographs of some of the types of speed camera you will see around Italy.
For example, if you see this, or something like it, watch out because the traffic police are watching you.
Start of Speed Check Area
Some way down the road, and the picture above shows a freeway/motorway or autostrada, as they are known in Italy, there will be a traffic cop with a mobile speed camera device that may look like this:
Mobile Speed Camera
However, Italy has some other types of speed camera, such as the fixed speed camera shown in the picture below:
Fixed Speed camera in Italy
Here is another example of a roadside speed camera unit often found on Italian roads, and not just the motorway/freeways:
Fixed Roadside Speed Camera in Italy
Also visible in the picture above, is a good example of what an Italian road speed limit sign looks like. You would be well advised to watch out for these, because certain sections of motorways in Italy have different speed limits.
Yet another type of speed camera you may encounter in Italy is the variety which often hangs beneath autostrada bridges. These cunning little devices look like this:
Autostrada speed camera - Italy
Speed Camera Map – Italy
OK, so now you know what the things look like, but maybe you would be interested in knowing just where the fixed speed cameras are in Italy. Well, here is a map of speed camera locations in Italy, but be careful, as it is not clear how up to date it is, although this map was accurate in May 2007, I understand. However, one imagines that once a fixed camera has been installed, it is unlikely to be removed. Even so, use this map as a general guide only please:
Map of Speed cameras in Italy
For your information, ‘postazione visibile’ is visible means the speed camera can be seen, whereas ‘postazione nascoste’ indicates that the speed camera is hidden. The 200km type numbers indicate at what position the speed cameras are along the road on which they are positioned. For example, if the road is from Milan to Rome, and the camera is at 200km, then that should mean the speed camera is 200km from Milan. A1 indicates the route on which the speed camera is located. A map or GPS system will help you identify Italian route numbers.
Ours look different! The one I know the best is a white box with no decorations. It was once one of four, but it serves alone now with the stories about the others as backup.
One thing that is very difficult here is that you can receive a ticket 6 months after the claimed offense. It can already have interest added. Six months afterwards, unless you have a receipt dated and from too far away to allow you to have been at the site, there’s pretty much nothing to do. Pay it. I knew one tourist who could prove he was in Naples when being cited in Bergamo who got off. Everyone else is forced to cave.
Now you need to tell how bad it is if you get caught with your blood alcohol above the limit!
That second picture looks like it was taken in 1972. In a good way. Love the coloring!
@Judith – I think there are more than a few variations of a theme with regard to these units.
As for getting a fine ages after getting caught, there are more than a few people, as mentioned in the post I referred to, that know a lot about this…
And you are right, get caught with too much wine in you, and you will ruin your vacation.
@Miss Exp – glad you like the colouring! Retro fashion!
Cheers to both of you,
Alex
The A4 freeway (Torino-Milano-Venezia)too has a brand new speed camera system in the area between Milan and Brescia.
They call it Tutor:
http://www.comitatoa4.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40
Thanks for the info on the Tutor system – it’s quite a system, with it’s ability to measure average speeds over long distances – from 10 to 25 Kilometres.
This is the speed detection of the future, and will not allow drivers to escape fines by simply slowing down when near a speed camera.
The system must generate a huge amount of fine income, I imagine.
All the best, and have a good summer break, if you are taking one.
Alex
The cameras near where my family lives in California are being taken down.
People used to run red lights. Turns out, once people found out where the cameras where, they began to drive carefully, and the city was no longer issuing tickets.
So, since they are no longer profitable, they’re taking them down.
Isn’t that awful? It’s not about safety or preventing accidents; it’s about brining in the funds…
Hi Roam2Rome,
Yes, it is awful, but accident prevention is more down to saving money, as you point out, than saving lives, even if, lives are saved.
I’m not sure removing cameras will make a difference in the long term, although one hopes so.
As a matter of interest, since auto fine gathering has been implemented in Italy, the municipal police have moved from Fiats to Alfa Romeos! Funds must be pouring in.
Cheers,
Alex
Hey! and we miss you in Twitter! come back!
Lately, a lot more Italy bloggers have returned to Twitter, myself included, and it’s a lot of fun
Just stumbled across your blog – very interesting indeed!
I do a 150 km round-trip everyday to come to work in Milan and whilst throughout the rest of the year I hardly ever get out of second gear for the whole journey, right now I arrive in record time… Obviously safety comes first, but it’s also good to know where they’re waiting to catch you!!!
@Roam2Rome,
Awww, thanks for missing me! I’ll have another go at Twitter, but it will be difficult not to get carried away, as before!
@Emma,
Welcome to my blog, and I’m very happy to hear you find it interesting. Thanks!
150kms is quite a round trip to do every day. Whereabouts do you come from? Personally, if it weren’t for work, and child, I’d live miles away from Milan in some quiet county area – as long as I could work via internet that is.
All the best to both of you,
Alex
Hi Alex,
I actually moved away from the centre of Milan just a couple of months ago to a small village in the Oltrepò Pavese. It’s a beautiful area and much less stressful than living in the city, but it is a long way from the office! Am now off to explore the rest of your blog…
Ciao!!
Hi Emma,
Very jealous to hear about your small village;-)
Have fun exploring the rest of my blog – I’m shutting things down here – a huge great thunder storm is about the kick off, and I don’t want it to fry my already hot pc!
Cheers,
Alex
how about the infra red camera’s allready in use?
Hi reizen naar italie,
The T-Red system employs an LED infra red illumination system to help read vehicle registration plates apparently – this means the cameras must be receptive to infra red light. The T-Red system is used to monitor traffic lights and photographs those who pass when the light is red.
The Tutor system, which is used to monitor average speeds over longer tracts of roads, uses infra red sensors. This means that the Tutor cameras are better able to photograph registration plates in total darkness than in full daylight apparently.
In summary, the answer is probably yes, in that infra red systems are used in traffic monitoring cameras in Italy to assist in conditions of low light but not only, and the cameras must be sensitive to infra red light for them to work.
Thanks for visiting.
Kind regards,
Alex