The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has begun testing two surveillance systems to detect those who skip stop signs or continuous lines at junctions.
The Stop sign is one of the most important in the catalogue of road signs, and yet it is also one of the least respected, with far too many drivers failing to stop, and, although they slow down, continue through the junction.
Although there is no specific time for how long a vehicle must stop, it must be brought to a complete halt. Motorcyclist must also put one foot on the ground. The pilot project is capable of detecting, automatically, the correct action before this signal and issues a sanction automatically, at the very moment the infraction takes place.
Failing to stop at a stop sign entails a fine of 200 euro and the withdrawal of four points from the driving licence.
Although the DGT currently uses their fleet of helicopters and drones to monitor this kind of infraction, along with the Guardia Civil patrols on the ground, this new system will mean that monitoring and the issuing of fines will be constant.
The system uses multiple cameras, the first reading the number plate of the vehicle as it approaches, and then the monitoring continues through the junction onto the main carriageway, and if the system detects that the vehicle failed to stop, the fine is automatically issued.
The reason for the system is not to collect fines, it is to reduce the number of incidents where failing to stop at a junction takes place. In the last reported data, a total of 1,093 drivers who were involved in a collision did not respect the stop sign. This is one of the most common offences along with skipping the continuous line, which causes side collisions.
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