Ireland is getting two new ‘Average Safety Cameras’ from midday tomorrow.
Average Safety Cameras check if a vehicle has been speeding by timing how long it takes to get from one point to another.
Drivers can’t ‘beat’ the speed trap by slowing down as they get close to a camera – with the twin cameras instead calculating the average speed the vehicle was travelling at between each camera.
The country already has two average-speed cameras – one in the Dublin Port Tunnel and another on the M7 in Tipperary.
From tomorrow, Ireland’s four average speed cameras will be:
- On the N5 between Lislackagh and Cuilmore in County Mayo
- On the N3 between Kilduff and Billis in County Cavan
- On the M7 between Nenagh and Birdhill in County Tipperary
- In the Dublin Port Tunnel
A fifth set of cameras is due to go live on the N2 at Slane in County Meath by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, nine new traditional speed cameras are also due to be rolled out – with six coming this year and three coming next year.
The new static speed cameras will be located on the:
- N59 (Galway)
- N25 (Waterford)
- R772 (Wicklow)
- N14 (Donegal)
- N80 (Carlow)
- Dublin (Dolphin’s Barn)
- N17 (Mayo)
- N22 (Cork)
- N69 (Limerick)
Anyone found to be breaking the speed limit by the cameras will face a €160 fine and three penalty points.
"An Garda Síochána remains committed to road safety and average safety cameras have been shown to reduce speed and impact positively on driver behaviour,” said Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
“The addition of two new average safety camera locations along the N5 and N3 will add to the suite of measures already being undertaken by An Garda Síochána in the area of improving road safety.
“I’m pleased to say that we will have a further six static safety cameras live by the end of this year, with a further three static cameras coming on stream in the first quarter of 2025.”
Average speed camerasGardaí said speed remains a significant contributor to road deaths and is a cause of 30% of fatal collisions.
The average speed cameras aim to change driver behaviour with international studies finding that cameras can reduce road deaths through the ‘halo effect’ – with drivers reducing speed because they know the cameras are there.
Gardaí said the halo effect can already been seen since the cameras were install on the N5 and N3 even though they only become operational tomorrow.
