Israel Police implement risk-based speed camera enforcement

The Israel Police Traffic Department has announced a significant change in speed camera enforcement policy. Moving away from a uniform enforcement threshold, the police will now set specific enforcement limits for individual cameras based on the risk level of each specific road section.

Enforcement thresholds will be determined by factors such as accident history, traffic volume, and road infrastructure. In high-risk areas, cameras may record violations for much smaller deviations from the speed limit. Conversely, in some sections, the threshold for enforcement may increase. The police stated they will not publish which specific cameras have had their thresholds changed, meaning drivers cannot know in advance where enforcement has become stricter.

The policy shift follows high rates of road fatalities, with 459 people killed on Israeli roads last year and 270 deaths recorded so far this year. The Traffic Department stated the goal is to "tailor enforcement to the level of danger in each area" to save lives and deter speeding.

The move has faced criticism from legal experts. Traffic law specialist Tomer Gonen characterized the policy as a "driver tax," arguing that cameras have limited range and do not necessarily reduce accidents. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding the conversion of violations into administrative offenses, which critics claim may limit a driver's ability to defend themselves in court.