This new radar can detect dangerous overtaking – fines are already raining down in this neighboring country

This new type of radar identifies a common offense that until now has often escaped the attention of law enforcement.

If, like many French people, you used your car to go on vacation this summer, you've no doubt noticed that some drivers are taking liberties with the Highway Code. While speed cameras may inspire fear, the vast majority of the 4,500 devices deployed across France were designed solely to track speeding. This is a boon for reckless drivers, whose dangerous maneuvers on the road can currently only be spotted by the watchful eye of police officers and gendarmes.

But things could change. A new type of radar, recently deployed on the roads of one of our neighboring countries, is currently generating a lot of buzz. Unlike traditional radars, which only measure the speed of our vehicles, this one is capable of detecting a fairly common offense: illegal overtaking. How does it work? This device uses both sensors embedded in the road and a camera. When a car crosses a solid line, the sensors immediately trigger video recording. The images, which last about fifteen seconds, are then used as evidence to punish the driver guilty of overtaking in an area where it is not permitted.

Not yet available in France, this radar, officially known as SV3, has been wreaking havoc since its recent introduction in Italy. As reported by Corriere della Sera, one of its first models was installed in Calabria, in the south of the country, near the small town of Acquappesa, crossed by the SS18 road. This winding stretch of road has always been the scene of numerous accidents linked to dangerous overtaking attempts. Motorists who continue to overtake despite the solid line on the ground are now confounded by this machine, commonly called "Sorpassometro," which lets nothing pass.

Fines for this offense range from €42 to €173 when the speeding occurs in an urban area. It generally results in the loss of two points on the driver's license. The penalty is even harsher when the offense occurs outside of urban areas, with fines as high as €345. And the offender has very little chance of winning a lawsuit by contesting the ticket, as all of these offenses are filmed.

In France, the Highway Code also provides for severe penalties for illegal overtaking: a fixed fine of 135 euros, the loss of 3 points, and in the most serious cases, a license suspension of up to 3 years. The arrival of such a system on our roads would undoubtedly be a hit.