Luxembourg appears to be doubling down on its use of speed cameras as a way to incite a more prudent driving style in its drivers. On Monday, the president of the road safety association made it very clear that it was "out of the question to give up automated controls". A position shared by Minister for Mobility François Bausch, who also reacted to an article first published by our colleagues from RTL 5 Minutes last Saturday in an interview with RTL.
The minister first of all specified that the figures for road deaths had been decreasing for "30 to 40 years" in Luxembourg. Bausch attributes this to improved road infrastructure, safer cars, and increased controls.
Bausch stated that all road safety experts agreed that people were not reasonable as a rule. The minister cited the current health crisis as an example, pointing out that if everyone followed the basic rules, we would have very few problems.
According to the minister, this principle justifies the controls and the installation of speed cameras on Luxembourg's roads. He argued that checks were part of the process of accident prevention, stressing that, in his view, the fewer controls there were, the more "disastrous" the accidents became.
This is why Luxembourg is banking on speed cameras and not on reducing speed on the country's national roads or motorways. During his interview with RTL, the minister stated that lowering speed limits simply did not make sense to him.
Bausch stated that the "general rules" (road traffic regulations) were very important but that he was rather in favour of an approach adapted to each individual case. On certain dangerous stretches of road for instance Bausch argued that it would be plausible to lower the speed limits.
The minister also mentioned that, if necessary, it could be conceivable to move trees considered dangerous while also stopping the planting of new trees near the country's roads. In this context, Bausch admitted to taking inspiration from the Scandinavian countries, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.
When asked about Denmark's strategy, Bausch pointed out that fines were much more severe than in Luxembourg, stating that if motorists were more cautious on the roads it had nothing to do with voluntarism. He added that it was very easy to lose your licence in Denmark.
For the minister, it is therefore controls and sanctions that make the difference, even in Denmark. Bausch also confirmed that the installation of speed cameras at red lights and tunnels is still on the agenda.
According to Bausch, the first red light speed camera will be installed at Place de l'Étoile and should be operational in January or February. He also announced that the tunnel cameras should arrive at the end of next year (2021).
All of this indicates that there will be no change of course in terms of road safety. The minister firmly believes in his policy of controls and hopes to be able, in the long term, to achieve the objective of "zero deaths, zero severely injured" on Luxembourg's roads.
