The term section control refers to a speed limit monitoring system that measures not the speed at a particular point, but the average speed over a longer distance. Route control is used in several European countries and is also known under the term Section-Control or SPECS, the abbreviation for Speed Check Services.
How does trajectory control work?
Section control usually takes place by means of two checkpoints placed above the road, which are equipped with a digital camera. The vehicle is photographed at both the first and second check points. As a rule, the vehicle is identified with the aid of automatic number plate recognition. Based on the time that elapses between the two consecutive check points, an average speed is calculated. If it exceeds the maximum speed permitted on the spot, the data is automatically forwarded to the judicial system.
As a motorist, can you avoid a section control?
Since all lanes, including the hard shoulder, are checked, changing lanes to avoid the check is pointless. The system can distinguish between passenger cars, trucks and cars with trailers, and can therefore respect different speed limits.
Trajectory control in the Netherlands
Main causes of most road accidents are:
- being distracted behind the wheel;
- Tailgating;
- however, despite all the speed controls, especially speeding.
A form of route control is therefore also applied in the Netherlands. The system photographs each vehicle from the rear with an infrared flash. Traffic experts hope to achieve greater road safety and significantly lower accident rates with such route checks. In addition to the Netherlands, route control has also been used for a number of years in countries such as Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Poland.
Trajectory control: fair way of controlling speed
Speed checks are experienced by many motorists as irritating and unfair. One small moment of inattention, and just that moment you will be flashed. Some time later there will be a fine on the doormat and you will owe a fine of tens of euros. And all because you may have only been in violation for a few seconds, how annoying is that? Speed measurement in the form of trajectory control therefore seems a fair alternative because the speed is no longer determined at a short time, but the pace at several points over a longer distance. So there is no threat for a short speed violation, but only for a longer speed violation.
Advantages and disadvantages of section control
Like any method of speed measurement, section control also has its pros and cons.
Advantages of trajectory control
- At first glance, section control seems to be a fairer way of speed measurement, because there is only a threat if the speed limit is exceeded for a longer period of time. Individual moments of violation no longer carry so much weight because multiple, independent measurements are always carried out during section control;
- Section control encourages drivers to drive carefully over longer distances. Because the routes where section controls are applied are known to motorists, accident-prone areas in particular can be equipped with section controls;
- Measurement errors such as those that occur with radar setups are avoided, because the average speed is obtained with the help of technically simpler and more reliable data. The time of passing at several points determines the final value obtained, on the basis of which a sanction can or not be imposed.
Disadvantages of section control
But trajectory control does not only have advantages:
- If even one measurement from a control series has not been performed correctly, then the entire control session has become worthless and motorists cannot be fined for speeding;
- A section control system also takes insufficient account of the fact that a car can only exceed the maximum speed for a short time. Such short fluctuations are not registered and there is no sanction in that case;
- At the time, the introduction of route control was also strongly criticized from a data protection point of view (privacy aspect). After all, during section control, every passing vehicle is flashed, even if it is not driving too fast. By documenting journeys, accurate data becomes available about the activities of road users. They can in theory be misused, which is a disturbing thought.