European speed enforcement: evasion tricks and declining violations

Motorists across Europe are adopting modified licence plates that evade automated speed‑camera detection. In the United Kingdom, plates fitted with a special reflective layer or transparent film render the number unreadable to radar cameras, allowing drivers to exceed speed limits without receiving fines. Experts estimate that about one in 15 cars on UK roads uses such plates, and the penalty for the offence is a modest £100. In Slovakia, the same practice is punishable by fines up to €1,000, and authorities warn that organised crime groups are supplying the altered plates.

In the Czech Republic, the city of Olomouc has installed a network of stationary radars on several streets. After an initial surge in recorded speeding offences, the number of violations has fallen sharply, with a total of 46,430 offences recorded since the start of 2024. The most problematic location remains Přerovská street, accounting for roughly 45 % of all detections. The data show that driver behaviour adapts to the presence of speed‑monitoring technology, while manufacturers are developing new scanners capable of detecting the evasive licence‑plate modifications.