Case Study High-tech solution for more safety at accident hotspots

No Traffic Enforcement Solution for non-standard Spots

In 2016, the French government was faced with a problem: a sharp increase (34%) in traffic accidents at roadside construction sites had been reported over the last five years.

As part of their strategy to improve safety for drivers, passengers, and construction site workers, French traffic authorities decided to double down on speed limit enforcement near road work sites, as well as at known traffic danger zones, such as road bends.

While permanently installed automatic radars were working well for enforcement on main thoroughfares, most accident blackspots are off the grid. Without access to the space, network connection infrastructure, and power source required to support stationary enforcement equipment, the government was in need of a flexible solution for monitoring construction sites and hot spots: a speed enforcement solution that was mobile, autonomous, and especially robust.

DCA Département du Contrôle Automatisé

The French Interior Ministry‘s Traffic Enforcement Department sought a flexible solution that was mobile, able to be easily transported to temporary locations, whether construction sites or collision hot spots.

And because hot spots and construction sites are often on secondary roads and in hazardous locations, traffic enforcement authorities required an autonomous solution – one that would not be limited by any gaps in local infrastructure (such as power supply) and would keep operators safe at a distance. Lastly, this mobile and autonomous automatic radar should be especially robust and reliable: able to operate 24h for at least 7 days, bulletproof and able to withstand any vandalism attempts.

The First of its kind in France

The Enforcement Trailer - the ultimate solution for effective traffic enforcement in areas that are too hazardous for operators, or lacking appropriate infrastructure. It leverages LIDAR technology to trace violations despite multiple vehicles in view, and poor-visibility in locations such as bends in the road. It answers to all challenges addressed by the French Government:

VITRONIC partners with CEGELEC

VITRONIC teamed up with CEGELEC EDR (Vinci Group) in a joint venture to create a turnkey solution, customized to the French government’s specifications. CEGELEC is a leader in automation, instrumentation and control, climate and electrical engineering providing technological solutions for companies and public authorities. CEGELEC designed the streamlined, futuristic housing for the Enforcement Trailer. VITRONIC developed the technical setup inside.

The French put the Trailer to the test

In 2015 there were only 5 autonomous speed enforcement systems available in France. By the end of 2016 the fleet had grown to include 250 units. As a result, 2016 saw records in the amount of flat-rate speeding and red-light tickets issued: these types of infringements now exceed all other police fines.

Within just one year from 2015 – 2016, detected infringements from automatic speed enforcement rose more than 26%, translating into an increase of 25.6 million Euro in revenue. And according to a government report, this boost was directly due to the deployment of the Enforcement Trailer.

By the end of 2021, the French ministry has ordered a total of more than 600 Enforcement Trailers to make France‘s roads more safe.