Two new average speed cameras on the roads
Infrastructure and technology for two average safety camera systems have been installed on the N3 in Cavan and the N5 in Mayo.
Commissioning, testing and validation of the infrastructure and safety cameras will continue for a number of weeks.
Gardaí have said in a statement this morning that the sites have been chosen because they meet the criteria as being high collision sites with numerous road traffic collisions, involving injury, serious injury and fatalities.
Average Safety Cameras are intended to change driver behaviour, reducing average speed of road users and the number of collisions that occur, making roads safer for all road users and decreasing the impact of speed on local communities.
The purchase of infrastructure and operation of this initial phase of safety cameras is a funded initiative by An Garda Síochána.
The completion of this initial phase was only possible with the assistance and cooperation of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Local Authorities, LGMA, ESB and all contractors involved, including groundworks and installation funding.
As the roll-out of this phase of safety cameras (3 average Safety Camera systems and 9 Static Safety Cameras) continues, An Garda Síochána will provide further information as and when new locations move into the testing phase.
An Garda Síochána will provide advance notification prior to any Safety Camera site commencing an enforcement phase.
An Garda Síochána also welcomes the announcement in Budget 2025 of €9 million in funding for up to 100 new static safety cameras.
Background
Locations
N3 - Average Safety Cameras have been installed between Kilduff and BIllis, Cavan.
N5 – Average Safety Cameras have been installed between Lislackagh and Cuilmore, Swinford.
What is an average safety camera?
Average speed safety cameras work by monitoring a vehicle's speed over a certain distance, rather than at a single point.
Unlike static safety camera detection, which measures speed at one particular point along the road, average speed cameras monitor a driver’s average speed while driving between two points.
How do the cameras work?
Average speed safety cameras use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to record the time, date, and location of each vehicle that passes through an entry and exit point.
Drivers detected exceeding the speed limit i.e. travelling from point A to point B too quickly, are issued with a Fixed Charge Notice which, when processed, assigns three penalty points to the drivers licence and a fine of up to €160.
Why use average speed safety cameras?
The objective of the cameras is to prevent death and serious injury on Irish roads. Speed is a factor in the severity of outcome of many collisions, and is a cause in 30% of fatal collisions.
They are one of a range of garda technology, enforcement, visibility, and education initiatives to reduce road deaths as part of the government’s Road Safety Strategy.
First introduced in the Dublin Port Tunnel (2017) and on the M7 (2022) between Junction 26 and Junction 27 (9km stretch), they are effective in leading drivers to reduce their speed.
Studies conducted in Sweden and Norway have shown that safety cameras can reduce fatal collisions by 38% to 49%, and a London School of Economics Study found fatal collisions decreased by 58 to 68% within 500 metres of safety cameras.