JUNE 27, 2008--Twelve fixed PoliScanspeed systems, designed by VITRONIC (Wiesbaden, Germany; www.vitronic.de), are to begin operation on state trunk and regional roads in Lithuania in summer 2008. The lidar (light detection and ranging) and digital imaging technology provide speed enforcement on up to three lanes of traffic. The aim of the Lithuanian authorities is to reduce the number of deaths caused as a result of unsafe speeds by 25% before 2010.
Each year in Lithuania approximately 1200 traffic accidents take place in which 300 people die and 2500 people are injured because of vehicles traveling at unsafe speeds. Speed cameras have been in operation in Lithuania since 2003 and have been used where traffic calming measures have proved ineffective or are difficult to implement. A previous installation has proven the success of fixed speed enforcement systems. During a two-year trial on state trunk roads no traffic accidents, during which any person would be injured or killed, were recorded. The number of vehicles that exceed the speed limit by more than 20 km/h also decreased by 80%.
Next-generation laser technology enables multiple vehicles to be identified and tracked on up to three lanes from a single system. With lane-specific speed detection, not even drivers traveling parallel or tailgating can avoid enforcement. If a driver is caught speeding, a color photograph of the vehicle is sent, along with additional case data, via a wireless connection to the Lithuanian Police Traffic Supervision Service for further processing. The case file is encrypted to prevent data manipulation. The system architecture also provides the possibility to classify vehicles.
The newly designed housing enables the systems to operate in temperatures from -30°C to +45°C at speeds of up to 250 km/h. Unlike any other solution available the new PoliScanspeed 'dual-use' system also permits mobile use. Its design allows the whole system to be easily inserted into the fixed roadside housing. If required, it can be removed and mounted within a patrol vehicle or on a tripod, then reinstalled after the mobile enforcement is complete. The highly resistant safety cases, with steel walls and security glass, protect the internal components.
Collaboration between VITRONIC and its local partner company SONEX Technologies, UAB, have worked on the solution that deals with high-speed drivers in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Already in international use, the laser-based PoliScanspeed is to be introduced as part of the State Programme for Road Safety for 2005--2010.
