Six cantons publish locations Here the police are allowed to place speed cameras everywhere
In Switzerland, the police are even allowed to hide speed cameras directly after the speed limit sign - but it is forbidden to warn against them. Only a few cantons rely on transparency. blue News provides you with an overview.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- There are over 1000 stationary and mobile speed cameras in use in Switzerland.
- The location of the speed cameras is the sole responsibility of the police, who may also legally use camouflaged devices as long as the measurement is technically correct.
- Warning of speed cameras is generally prohibited; only six cantons publish their locations.
1000 mark cracked
It is not known exactly how many speed cameras are in use in Switzerland today. According to the Federal Institute of Metrology (Metas), there were 1086 in 2022. These devices have the unwieldy name of "calibrated automatic speed measuring devices for official measurements in road traffic". These include both stationary speed camera boxes and mobile radar devices that are used in vehicles or on the roadside.
The police decide where speed cameras are used
According to the directives of the Federal Roads Office (Astra), the choice of location lies exclusively with the police. There are no regulations governing how far away a speed camera must be from a speed limit sign, a bend or an obstacle.
The only condition: The measurement must not be distorted - for example by reflections from metal fences, vehicles or signs. Such incorrect measurements must be ruled out before the device is activated.
On bends, for example, it must be guaranteed that the measurement angle cannot lead to incorrect results.
"Speed limit sign trap" is permitted
The Swiss signalization ordinance is crystal clear here: the new speed limit applies from the location of the sign. This means that a speed camera may theoretically be placed immediately afterwards. The argument that there must be "a few meters of leeway" does not count in legal terms.
In practice, however, the authorities usually place their devices where speeding behavior is particularly relevant to safety - for example at pedestrian crossings, school routes or town entrances.
From Smart cars to garbage trucks
The police are allowed to camouflage mobile radar devices. Nowhere does the Astra stipulate that a speed camera must be visible or marked. There are known cases such as a Zurich garbage truck with a built-in speed camera or smart cars that inconspicuously photograph speeders. As long as the measurement is technically correct and verifiably documented, even a camouflaged speed camera is completely legal.
Warning is prohibited - except in your own household
Even if you like to watch out in your circle of friends: Warning about speed cameras - whether by app, social media post or WhatsApp group - is prohibited by law. Astra has made it clear that even the possession and marketing of speed camera apps or radar detectors is punishable by law.
Anyone caught driving risks a severe fine. This is only permitted on a very small scale - for example, if you give your partner a hint. Flashing lights or hand signals to warn others are also prohibited and can be punished.
These cantons publish their speed camera locations
Warning of speed cameras is officially prohibited in Switzerland. Neither such apps nor chats are permitted. The only exception: the warning comes directly from the cantonal police.
Six cantons publish the speed camera locations: Lucerne, St. Gallen, Ticino, Basel-Stadt, Schwyz and Schaffhausen.
In the canton of Solothurn, the locations were also published online for three years as part of a pilot project. An evaluation is currently taking place and publication has been temporarily suspended.
The aim of this transparency is not to protect speeders, but to make dangerous routes even safer. Traffic psychologists emphasize that the deterrent effect is not lost as a result - on the contrary: people who know that there is a speed camera are more aware and drive more consistently.
