The Israel Police and Ministry of Public Security plan to shortly install 40 more traffic light and speed cameras at intersections, bringing the number of cameras to 100. The cameras are moved around between 180 poles. The Traffic Police disclosed the information at a presentation to the Israel Bar Association's Traffic Forum.
60 cameras are currently installed on 11% of Israel's roads. The police claim that since the new cameras began operating in the second half of 2012, and through the end of 2013, 179,326 tickets have been issued, including 28,000 for serious offenses, such as excessive speeding and shooting red lights, which have been sent for further prosecution. The other reports are fines.
The police also claim that there was a 26% drop in traffic accidents along the sections where the cameras were installed.
The police said that, in 2013, 1,089 reports were issued for drunk driving and 1,142 reports were written for drives with five or more serious traffic offenses. 13,000 drivers' licenses were suspended, and 5,981 cases were sent to the Tiltan fast-track trial for serious traffic offenses.
Although the total number of traffic reports declined, there was a 31% increase in reports of road rage, as part of the police's focus on offenses at intersections and offenses resulting in traffic accidents.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 6, 2014
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