摘要: |
Traditional traffic enforcement systems have relied on the use of chemical wet film; this is a labor intensive, slow, and therefore costly approach to enforcing traffic laws. Advances in video camera design and in database and communications technology have meant that fully automated enforcement systems are now technically realistic. Some local or national trials of fully automated enforcement systems have already taken place with very promising results. For example, in The Netherlands, the fully-automated Continuous Applied Speed Enforcement System (CASE) on the A-2 motorway has demonstrated the principles and benefits this kind of technology application. From a technical point of view, trials such as this continue to show that consistent international enforcement is now a realistic possibility. However, technical solutions will not work if the institutional framework is not in place. Technical solutions and any institutional framework will not function if the legislative basis for automated enforcement in European Member States is not fully understood. This hypothesis was the basis for the creation of the VERA (Video Enforcement for Road Authorities) project. As part of the European Commission's Fourth Framework Programme, VERA is bringing together police agencies, national highway authorities and city authorities from around Europe to examine the technical, institutional and legal issues in digital-based enforcement. |