How Speed Cameras Work: They Capture You from 100 Meters Away
The Ministry of the Interior has revealed technical details about how stationary radars operate across Croatia, from detection distance and error margins to the fines for speeding.
The Ministry of the Interior has revealed technical details about how stationary radars operate across Croatia, from detection distance and error margins to the fines for speeding.
Many drivers in Croatia have at least once been startled by the sight of a speed camera housing, often leading to sudden braking and the question of whether a fine is on its way. To clear up numerous uncertainties, the Ministry of the Interior explained to Index.hr on August 10, 2026, in detail how these stationary radar systems function, at what distance they capture images, and what happens after they record an offense.
The number of camera housings on domestic roads is continuously growing. According to the latest data, there are currently 798 installed, a significant increase compared to last year's 665. The Split-Dalmatia Police Administration leads with 95 housings, followed by the Zagreb Police Administration with 86, and in third place is the Međimurje Police Administration with 62 locations, even though it is one of the smaller administrations.
The housings contain stationary radar devices GATSO RT4 and POLCAM SmartEye ST-1, which use electromagnetic waves to measure speed. Modern devices can simultaneously monitor multiple traffic lanes and capture vehicles from both directions. "The devices detect vehicle speed at distances from 10 to 100 meters. In addition to speed, the cameras record other data needed for vehicle identification (license plate, vehicle type, traffic lane, direction of travel, date and time, device serial number, GPS coordinates, and more)," the police explained to Index.hr.
The police also revealed that drivers can no longer rely on a recognizable flash to warn them of being recorded. Instead, discreet infrared illumination allows offenses to be photographed without distracting drivers. Additionally, poor weather conditions are not a problem, as the measuring devices are designed to operate in all situations, including heavy downpours.
To avoid injustices, police officers take a safety margin into account when processing data. "The permissible error limits for these measuring devices are ±3 km/h for speeds up to 100 km/h, and ±3% for speeds above 100 km/h. When determining an offense for speeds up to 100 km/h, police officers apply a safety margin of 10 km/h, and for speeds above 100 km/h, this safety margin is 10%," the police clarified.
In addition to speed, fixed cameras can indirectly capture other offenses, such as improper mobile phone use or not wearing a seatbelt, meaning a single pass can result in multiple fines.
The process after a camera records an offense is fully automated. "Once a vehicle is photographed, it is sent via communication channels to the Ministry of the Interior's Information System. Then, based on the vehicle's license plates, personal data about the vehicle owner and their residential address is obtained. Based on the collected data... a Notice of Committed Offense is generated and delivered to the vehicle owner by mail," the police stated. The delivery time of the notice varies from administration to administration, but the offender cannot be penalized before receiving it.
Although errors are rare, they are possible, for example, due to one vehicle obscuring another or radar beam reflection. "In a relatively small percentage of cases, compared to the total number of captured photos, radar beam reflection can lead to an incorrect speed measurement. Police officers are aware of such situations and can recognize them. We note that each device undergoes annual calibration and verification at an authorized service center," the Ministry of the Interior emphasized. As for motorcyclists, if the license plate is captured, the procedure is the same as for cars; otherwise, a criminal investigation is launched to establish identity.
Fines for speeding depend on the location and severity of the offense, and fixed cameras are always clearly marked with a traffic sign and are not placed immediately after a speed limit sign. In built-up areas, fines range from 30 euros for exceeding the limit by up to 10 km/h, up to a range of 1320 to 2650 euros for exceeding it by more than 50 km/h. Outside built-up areas, the lowest fine is 60 euros for exceeding the limit by 10 to 30 km/h, while for more than 50 km/h above the limit, drivers risk a fine of 660 to 1990 euros.
