Roads Policing Message - Average Speed Cameras

On the25th April 2022 Ireland’s first Motorway Average Speed Camera became operational on the M7 Motorway. Average speed cameras were first introduced in the Dublin Port Tunnel in 2017 but this latest system which operates on the M7 between junction 26 Nenagh (West) and junction 27 Birdhill is the first system monitoring motorway speed.

Unlike traditional speed detection which measures the motorists speed at one particular point along the road, average speed cameras monitor a driver’s average speed while driving between two points. When driving the first camera will record your number plate, and then the second camera will do likewise. The system will time how long it has taken to travel between these two points to calculate your average speed.

To put it simply, an average speed camera tracks how long it takes to travel between two set points on a road and uses this information to calculate your average speed.

The system on the M7 Motorway operates between two cameras which are set at 9 kms apart and they operate in both directions of the Motorway.

This location on the M7 was chosen due to frequent weather episodes including hail and sleet showers, resulting in increased collision frequency in the area. There were 6 fatalities along this stretch of motorway in the 8 years that preceded the introduction of the average speed cameras.

The non-compliance rate at this location in 2020 was recorded at 32% for motor cars (68% compliance rate). 

The camera system was installed in March 2021, which led to a non-enforcement testing phase which recorded an immediate impact on reducing incidents of speeding on this stretch of motorway.  A 10% non-compliance rate was reported.

The system went live on 25th April 2022 and records an average of 47 speed detections daily. This represents a compliance rate of 96%.

People have changed their behaviour. They know that if they exceed the average speed limit, there will be consequences. Any driver detected speeding by an average speed camera, defined by your average speed exceeding 120km/h, will receive three penalty points on their licence and a €160 fine. They will have a total of 56 days to pay the fine. Failure to do so will result in court proceedings. 

Where safety cameras have been deployed, fatalities and serious injuries as a result of speeding have reduced.

Although motorways are statistically the safest way of moving large volumes of traffic, there are still risks to drivers who use them. Several other areas of motorway have been identified as locations with a history of high speed collisions and will be considered as this system is rolled out across the country. Drivers tend to speed on sections of motorway when there is less traffic and they believe it to be quiet.

During 2022 An Garda Síochána detected 165,115 speeding offences. Speeding is the biggest contributing factor to road deaths in Ireland, it’s a factor in one third of all fatal collisions.

The higher the speed, the greater the likelihood of a collision happening. We are asking people to slow down and always drive within the speed limits. Drive at a speed appropriate to the road and weather conditions, the volume of traffic and the likelihood of hazards. Speed limits are the maximum speed you can drive at on a stretch of road in good conditions.