On April 8, another average speed radar will start operating on the Koknese-Tinuzhi highway, public media report.
In total, this year 17 new radars will be added to those already installed, thus measuring average speed in 33 locations across Latvia. Statistics show that the number of traffic accidents in these areas decreases by almost half. Additionally, since the radars also capture the absence of mandatory civil liability insurance (OCTA) or an overdue technical inspection, the number of such violations has decreased by 10,000 over the year.
A new radar on the Koknese-Tinuzhi highway will monitor average speed over a distance of 20 km; however, drivers surveyed in Koknese noted that radars should also be installed on regional roads, not just on highways. In their opinion, nothing reduces speed as effectively as encountering a police crew on the road.
Nevertheless, the experience of the State Police shows that so-called "surprise letters" - notifications of violations and fines recorded by radars - are noticeably decreasing each year. Two years ago, a total of 55,000 violations were recorded, of which 29,000 were cases of speeding, along with a significant number of cases of missing OCTA or technical inspection.
"Comparing this statistics, in 2024 there were 9,500 cases of vehicles operating without OCTA, in 2025 - 6,500. More than 3,000 fewer! This is undoubtedly due to the full control of traffic provided by this equipment," noted the head of the State Police Response Division, Juris Jančevskis.
The company "Latvijas Valsts ceļi" explained that such radars also significantly reduce the number of traffic accidents. The Road Safety Council has already allocated funds for the following sections, and in the future, such devices will also be installed on less significant roads.
