Mechelen police take motorists by surprise
Local police in Mechelen (Antwerp province) extended the national so-called "speed trap marathon" on their own account on Friday. During this surprise action, it turned out that 5.16 percent was speeding, compared to only 1.53 percent at the same locations one day earlier, when the speed checks had been announced.
The nationwide 24-hour "speed trap marathon" took place between 6am on Thursday and 6am on Friday. It had been announced on various media platforms and was part of an awareness campaign.
While most local police stopped their extra efforts after the speed trap marathon, the Mechelen authorities went a step further. Between 6am and 8:30pm on Friday, the speed of another 4,047 vehicles was checked. 209 drivers were caught red-handed, which equals 5.16 percent. This over 3 times the number of speeding drivers on Thursday. These figures only apply to mobile speed traps installed temporarily, and not to permanent speeding cameras at fixed locations. (photo: archive photo)