Significant changes are being made to the way driving speed is measured in Hungary

According to responses from the police and local authorities, the number of speed cameras installed on Hungarian public roads has increased significantly in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue. There are currently more than 200 such devices nationwide,

with a further 280 approved for installation.

At the current rate of expansion, the number of 'trafiboxes', i.e. metal boxes approximately 80 centimetres high that either contain a speed camera or are empty, installed as part of municipal investments, could exceed the number of fixed speed cameras installed by the state within a year. For comparison, the VÉDA system originally monitored 365 lanes with traffic cameras mounted on metal stands.

However, the growing number of fixed speed cameras ('trafiboxes') raises utilisation issues. According to the latest police report, there are 288 mobile speed cameras nationwide, which are used not only in fixed locations, but also on stands and in police cars. Information from vezess.hu suggests that approximately 40 of these devices are not even used in boxes.

Although some drivers slow down when they see an empty [speed camera] box, local drivers eventually realise when a camera is consistently empty.

In some places, no measuring devices have been installed in the cameras for months.

They are trying to compensate for the lack of real speed measurement by using so-called dummy cameras. Two traffic box manufacturers produce such devices: one makes three-dimensional speed camera housings and the other makes two-dimensional images that are placed inside the box. According to vezess.hu, there are already dozens of these dummy cameras in use across the country.

According to the response from the National Police Headquarters, local governments have purchased and handed over 27 fixed complex traffic control points to the police for use so far. Additionally, the police have approved a request to purchase a further 30 fixed speed measurement devices (VIDAR Speed).

All this means that

speed measurement practices in Hungary are set to undergo significant changes and expansion.

Over the past two years, the number of trafiboxes has risen to over 200 and is expected to exceed 300 soon. The process of equipping them with fixed speed cameras has already begun.

Based on municipal activity, it is not inconceivable that the number of fixed speed cameras could double nationwide within two to three years.

Cover image (for illustration purposes only): Getty Images