New cameras work well in bad light
Traffic Police introduce new speed cameras with more powerful features
There is a misconception among motorists that the likelihood of getting caught for speeding is lower at night because of the poor lighting.
And many drivers think that if they zoom past a speed camera and do not see a flash, they have got away with it.
Regardless, speedsters should not be surprised from now on if they receive a letter from the Traffic Police (TP) for offences in both those scenarios.
TP yesterday rolled out new handheld Police Speed Laser Cameras (PSLC) with more powerful features to monitor accident-prone zones, day and night.
These new cameras can detect front and back number plates in bad lighting.
They can also capture high resolution images and videos, both in day and night conditions, due to the new infrared flash that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
The battery life of the cameras has also almost doubled - from four hours in the previous camera to seven in the new one, said TP.
TP Commander Sam Tee said at a media briefing yesterday that they "periodically review accident-prone areas" to develop new enforcement strategies.
Said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Tee: "On top of the existing speed enforcement cameras, PSLC operations that are conducted both day and night daily will serve as a reminder to motorists to comply with speed limits."
The first speed camera debuted in 2004 and since then, the dated film cameras have been replaced with digital ones.
The locations where camera operations are conducted also vary.
In line with TP's approach to curb speeding, the cameras are mobile and can be set up at 44 accident-prone and high-risk locations islandwide such as Lornie Road towards Adam Road and East Coast Parkway towards Changi Airport.
Before the upgrade, speed cameras were used at 48 locations.
In its annual statistics in February, TP saw a 12.2 per cent decline in the number of speed-related accidents from 1,363 in 2014 to 1,197 last year.
But the number of fatal accidents involving speeding vehicles increased, from 43 in 2014 to 48 last year.
BLACK MOTORCYCLES
Aside from the cameras, the police recently introduced black matte motorcycles, believed to be used for on-the-road operations such as catching motorists who use their mobile devices while driving.
The Straits Times reported on Wednesday that the bikes are part of its "enhanced enforcement operations against errant motorists", said a police spokesman.
The spokesman declined to provide more details about the new bikes due to operational concerns.
ACP Tee said: "The mode varies, officers can go on bikes and cars that are both equipped with laser and radar guns, but enforcement is the same, during the day and night."
Old v New
OLD CAMERA
- Visible flash
- Can capture only still images, at a shorter distance
- Battery can last up to four hours
NEW CAMERA
- Modular infrared flash system that cannot be seen by the naked eye, but can capture images clearly, even at night
- Video function that can detect vehicle speed from a distance
- Battery can last up to seven hours
SPEED CAMERA LOCATIONS
Here are the 44 island-wide locations where the camera may be used to target speeding drivers:
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards Upper Thomson Road between Marymount Road and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards Boundary Road between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Marymount Road
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 towards Buangkok Green between Yio Chu Kang Road and Central Expressway
Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 towards Yio Chu Kang Road between Central Expressway and Yio Chu Kang Road
Ayer Rajah Expressway towards Tuas between Benoi Road exit and Tuas Road exit
Ayer Rajah Expressway towards Marina Coastal Expressway between Tuas Road exit and Pioneer Road North exit
Braddell Road towards Bartley Road between Bishan Road and Central Expressway
Braddell Road towards Lornie Road between Central Expressway and Bishan Road
Bukit Timah Expressway towards Woodlands Checkpoint between Pan Island Expressway and Dairy Farm Road exit
Bukit Timah Expressway towards Pan Island Expressway between Dairy Farm Road exit and Pan Island Expressway
Central Expressway towards Seletar Expressway between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 exit and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 exit
Central Expressway towards Ayer Rajah Expressway between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 exit and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 exit
Changi Coast Road towards Nicoll Drive near Gate N7
Clementi Avenue 6 towards Ayer Rajah Expressway between Clementi Loop and Commonwealth Avenue West
Clementi Avenue 6 towards Pan Island Expressway between Commonwealth Avenue West and Clementi Loop
East Coast Parkway towards Airport between Still Road South exit and Marine Vista exit
East Coast Parkway towards City between Bedok South Avenue 1 exit and Still Road South exit
Jalan Buroh towards Pioneer Road between Jurong Port Road and Jurong Pier Road
Kranji Expressway towards Bukit Timah Expressway between Choa Chu Kang Way exit and Choa Chu Kang Drive exit
Kranji Expressway towards Pan Island Expressway between Choa Chu Kang Drive exit and Choa Chu Kang Way exit
Lentor Avenue towards Yishun Avenue 2 between Yio Chu Kang Road and SLE
Lentor Avenue towards Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 between SLE and Yio Chu Kang Road
Lornie Road towards Braddell Road near MacRitchie Reservoir
Lornie Road towardsAdam Road near MacRitchie Reservoir
Nicoll Highway towards Guillemard Road between Middle Road and Java Road
Nicoll Highway towards Esplanade Drive between Java Road and Middle Road
Pan Island Expressway towards Tuas between Pioneer Road North exit and Upper Jurong Road exit
Pan Island Expressway towards Airport between Upper Jurong Road exit and Pioneer Road North exit
Pan Island Expressway towards Tuas between Lorong 2 Toa Payoh exit and Thomson Road exit
Pan Island Expressway towards Airport between Thomson Road exit and Lorong 2 Toa Payoh exit
Pan Island Expressway towards Tuas between Eunos Road exit and Paya Lebar Road exit
Pan Island Expressway towards Airport between Paya Lebar Road exit and Eunos Road exit
Tampines Avenue 10 towards Bartley Road East between Tampines Expressway and Tampines Avenue 9
Tampines Avenue 10 towards Tampines Expressway between Tampines Avenue 9 and Tampines Expressway
Tampines Expressway towards Pan Island Expressway between Punggol Road exit and KPE exit
Tampines Expressway towards Seletar Expressway between Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway exit and Punggol Road exit
Tampines Expressway towards Pan Island Expressway between Sengkang West Road exit and Seletar Link exit
Tampines Expressway towards Seletar Expressway between Jalan Kayu exit and Sengkang West Road exit
Upper Bukit Timah Road towards Jalan Anak Bukit between Old Jurong Road and Jalan Anak Bukit Upper Thomson Road towards Lornie Road between Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Sin Ming Avenue
Upper Thomson Road towards Sembawang Road between Sin Ming Avenue and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
West Coast Highway towards Jalan Buroh between South Buona Vista and Clementi Road
West Coast Highway towards Pasir Panjang Road between Clementi Road and South Buona Vista
Woodlands Avenue 12 towards Woodlands Avenue 10 between Woodlands Avenue 5 and Gambas Avenue