Between intelligent traffic lights, speed cameras and Tutors, there are a total of 111,451 devices in the world for the automatic detection of traffic violations.
Of these, 11,171, equal to approximately 10% of the total, are installed in Italy.
The data comes from Codacons, which reports the updated official statistics of the platform specializing in speed cameras, Scdb.info.
The number of devices present on Italian roads and used to sanction exceeding speed limits and traffic light violations is constantly increasing, to the point that today there are as many as 11,171 in our country - explains Codacons - This is 17% of all the automatic tools present in Europe, which records a total of 65,429 devices between new generation traffic lights, speed cameras and tutors.
Worse than Italy are only Russia with 18,414 automatic infringement detection tools, and Brazil (17,614), countries which however have an extremely larger territory.
In the United States there are 7,973, while remaining in Europe, among the countries with the most speed cameras and intelligent traffic lights installed along the roads we find Great Britain (7,707) followed by Germany (4,690), France (3,745), Belgium (3,179) , Sweden (2,466) and Spain (2,268).
The increase in these automatic devices has led to a general increase in road fines in Italy to the point that in 2023 the municipalities collected a total of over 1.5 billion euros with a growth of +23.7% compared to 2019. - analyzes il Codacons - It is above all the small municipalities that benefit from it, that is, those that most of all use the speed camera tool to sanction motorists, and which have seen revenue linked to road fines increase by over 50% compared to 2019.
"If on the one hand it is correct to punish with the utmost severity those who violate the Highway Code and exceed the speed limits, putting public safety at risk, on the other the government should also do its part in terms of road sanctions, and respect not only the commitments made with citizens, but also precise state laws on the subject", denounces Codacons.
This is the case, for example, of the famous "Observatory on road fines" introduced by the Pa bis decree law (DL 75/2023) and announced last summer, which as Codacons we had immediately welcomed: an Observatory established at the Ministry of Infrastructure and transport and which should have come into operation within 90 days of the conversion into law of the decree (published in the Official Gazette on 16 August 2023) with the task of producing an annual report "containing in particular the data relating to road accidents and the regularity and transparency in the use of the proceeds of administrative fines and in the use of electronic speed control devices", as well as to verify "the reports of consumer associations operating in the sector and request data and information from the competent administrations".
"Despite the crusade started by Minister Salvini against speed cameras and speed limits, nothing more has been heard of this Observatory, which is part of the MIT. - highlights Codacons - An absurd paradox if we consider the numbers on increasing fines and the need to guarantee transparency and correctness to citizens.
And what about the regulation of speed cameras that has been awaited for 14 years now? Article 25, paragraph 2, of law no. 120 of 2010 for the reform of the Highway Code, provided in fact that "with a decree of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, in agreement with the Minister of the Interior, the methods of placement and use of the devices or technical means of control are defined". "Municipalities and local authorities, whose budgets benefit enormously of the proceeds from traffic fines, have done everything to delay the issuance of the provision, in order to have carte blanche on the placement of speed cameras in the area.
A national shame that has led to today's disastrous situation and which, if it is not remedied, will push Codacons to start a class action against the Italian State for non-compliance with Parliament's provisions", concludes Codacons president, Carlo Rienzi.
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