New traffic cameras reduced accidents and driving speeds, police say
"New traffic cameras installed along Highways 4 and 6 have cut down on the number of traffic accidents and reduced driving speeds for certain road sections," says Chief Superintendent Heikki Ihalainen of the National Police Board. The estimates are based on the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s statistics.
“Short-term results were determined in November 2019. Traffic camera poles were already in place in autumn 2018 and were already having a positive effect on traffic safety. Traffic safety has also improved during a longer observation period over the course of 2019,” Heikki Ihalainen says.
Lusi-Vaajakoski
According to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s accident statistics, accidents on Highway 4 between Lusi and Vaajakoski have declined to 37 in 2019 from a yearly average of 48 in the 2015–2017 period. There were 11 fewer accidents over the course of the year.
According to data from automatic speed measurement points, average driving speeds have decreased from 91.2 km/h in 2017 to 89 km/h in 2019.
In 2019, there were no fatalities on the traffic-controlled section of Highway 4. The average number of fatalities per year in the 2015–2017 period was 1.3.
Over the course of 2019, there were 8 injuries in comparison to the yearly average of 16 in the 2015–2017 period. The yearly number of injuries was, therefore, reduced by eight.
Loviisa-Kouvola
On Highway 6 between Loviisa and Kouvola, the number of accidents has declined to 18 in 2019 from a yearly average of 27.7 in the 2015–2017 period – a decline of almost 10.
According to data from automatic speed measurement points maintained by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, average driving speeds have decreased from 90.4 km/h in 2017 to 87.1 km/h in 2019.
There were no fatalities on Highway 6 in 2019. The average number of fatalities per year in the 2015–2017 period was 1.7.
There were five injuries in 2019. The average number of injuries per year in the 2015–2017 period was 8.7, from which the number has declined by almost four.
Cautions and fines
A total of approximately 3,600 cautions and 6,000 fines have been issued for traffic violations that occurred on the road sections in question.
Traffic surveillance in these areas began with one surveillance point last summer. Now there are cameras across the length of the road sections.
The new cameras use a radar method to measure the car’s speed over the course of a distance measured in tens of meters in front of the camera.