Estonia sees drop in speeding fines even before warning signs installed

Starting August 1, police in Estonia will begin placing warning signs before mobile speed cameras. However, the number of fines has already fallen after the enforcement threshold for mobile speed cameras was raised. Previously, fines were issued for exceeding the limit by as little as 3 km/h; now, penalty notices are sent only for violations of 6 km/h or more.

Taavi Kirss, head of traffic enforcement at the Police and Border Guard Board, said the change has already resulted in fewer fines. He noted that minor speeding violations previously accounted for nearly half of all fines issued.

Kirss also said that younger drivers are not the biggest speeders; the problem affects middle-aged motorists more. "The person most likely to cause a traffic accident while driving is a 40-year-old man," he said.

Traffic on major highways has been relatively calm, but the biggest problems are on secondary roads where older drivers may fail to notice they must yield and pull out in front of other vehicles. Motorcyclists are also a concern, with cases every summer where a motorcyclist exceeds the speed limit so much that they lose control and are killed.

Police have long received information about groups who enjoy speeding on public roads at night. Encouragingly, organizers of drag racing events and car meets have begun registering their events and operating within the law. However, young people still go for group drives in residential neighborhoods to drift and speed, disturbing residents' peace – police urge people to call in such cases.

Kirss said preventive work is key. Police monitor companies with large vehicle fleets by tracking fines issued to their drivers and meeting with management to improve driving behavior. Police also contact high-risk drivers directly, inviting them to a station to discuss their behavior.

A unique measure in Estonia is the "cooling-off stop": police stop drivers exceeding the limit by up to 20 km/h and allow them to reflect on their behavior in the officer's presence. Exceeding the limit by more than 20 km/h leads to misdemeanor proceedings. Volunteer police officers conduct speed checks at locations identified by local communities as trouble spots, measuring speeds and speaking with drivers.

In June, the Riigikogu passed legislation requiring police to warn drivers in advance of mobile speed camera enforcement. Warning signs must be placed 300 to 500 meters before a speed measurement point outside built-up areas and 150 to 300 meters before the enforcement location within built-up areas.