Tienen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Tienen, led by mobility chief Olivia Verstrepen, will use its €7,800/week mobile speed camera 2 weeks/month in risky zones like schools to reduce its high accident rate (22.5/100 km).
As VRT News reported, Tienen is boosting its efforts to make roads safer because there have been slightly more traffic accidents compared to nearby areas. The city sees about 22.5 accidents for every 100 kilometres of road, which is higher than in places like Diest. Olivia Verstrepen, the city’s mobility leader, said that because of this, they’re using their mobile speed camera more often.
Over the next 6 months, the camera will be used for about 2 weeks each month, with a focus on risky areas. He mentioned that these include school zones, where children are most at risk, busy town centres with lots of pedestrians, and roads with temporary traffic changes, as these can lead to more dangerous driving.
Can Tienen’s mobile speed camera reduce accidents and improve road safety?
The speed camera costs Tienen over €7,800 each week, the city says it’s not about making money. They pay for the camera with the money from the fines, so it pays for itself. They mentioned that the goal isn’t to punish drivers but to make them drive more safely and have fewer accidents.
They wish to prevent issues before they occur, particularly in areas where safety is genuinely significant. In doing so, they aim to reduce the speed of drivers and make the roads safer for all. The speed checks are part of a bigger plan to improve travel and safety, hoping that checking speeds regularly will help drivers change how they behave on the road for good.
Tienen wants to stop problems before they start by making drivers pay attention to their speed. They hope that checking speeds often will stop people from speeding, especially in dangerous areas. Instead of just punishing people, the city wants to teach them and prevent accidents.
By slowing down traffic where it’s most important, they aim to lower accidents and make roads safer for everyone, including drivers, cyclists, and people walking. They want to protect those who are most at risk and create a culture where people drive more carefully through consistent speed checks.
