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ROAD Transport and Safety Agency chief executive officer Zindaba Soko says the speed cameras mounted on Kafue road just after Baobab are test installations. In an interview yesterday, Soko urged motorists not to panic over the cameras as they were there for a test trial before a formal launch is done.
He explained that RTSA would inform motorists and stakeholders where the cameras would be mounted after the trial is concluded. There has been panic among Lusaka residents that use Kafue Road over the just installed Mobility Logistics permanent speed traps after Baobab College on Kafue road.
Word is that speeding motorists should expect summons from RTSA and that they would be taken to fast track courts for speeding. Soko has, however, clarified that motorists would not be ambushed as there would be signage to warn people once the trial period is over.
“That installation that people have been talking about is a test installation and where there will be cameras that will be put, the same type of cameras there will have signage. It’s not for people to panic though; it’s also a good deterrent of how it will work when it’s officially launched. It’s for test purposes, nothing to worry about,” Soko said.
“The idea behind cameras and road safety is that they are not meant to catch you unawares or ambush you. The way they will operate once it’s fully-fledged is that you will actually be warned that this zone is a camera monitored zone. That will be clear to everybody, it’s not something like we are punishing people, no, it doesn’t work like that. I will give you an example of a stop sign or to show you that there is a curve ahead, you are warned so that you drive appropriately because of that curve. Similarly, with the cameras, people will be warned that…for example the next 100 kilometres is a speed management zone. And how we come up with speed management zones is because we know that particular zone is prone to a lot of crashes as a result of excessive speeding. It’s a control measure.”
He warned that those that willingly drive over the limits were the ones who would be affected by the new technology.
“Of course when it’s operational, there will definitely be an indication of sign of speeding through either an SMS or any other communication or ‘visit our offices’ to say on such and such a day and this time, you were in excessive speed, for example in an area of 60 kilometres per hour, you were doing 120 km and here is your fine before you do any other thing. It’s just a speed management system. For that one, it’s for test purposes and definitely there will be official announcement that they are now operational to the public,” said Soko.
[The Mast Online]
