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According to Dubai Police, around 500 new double-faced radar units, which do not flash when tripped by speeding cars, will be installed in the city by the year end.
Pending the outcome of a six-month trial period, the new units are all set to replace the existing 220 speed cameras that flash when drivers exceed designated speed limits.
The new radars are equipped with laser technology to catch errant drivers from both the left and right side of the road, said Lt Col Saif Al Mazroui, Acting Director of Dubai Police’s Traffic Department.
The benefit is that 50 per cent fewer radar units are needed to cover the same section of the road. 'Instead of fixing two radars between certain distances, we can now use one,' Al Mazroui said.
The police have already installed many of the new German-made units as part of a pilot programme to test them for accuracy and durability. More will be set up on Shaikh Zayed Road this week.
Six-month plan
Germany designed these radars with specifications to suit the UAE terms and conditions. We are the first country to apply the new radars on road. The aim of the trial is to detect if these radars suit the UAE’s weather and roads in the long run. We have a six-month plan to find out if these radars can cover roads with eight lanes,' said Al Mazroui.
The new radar, he said, will not flash when it takes pictures.. The traps will also be more difficult to spot along Dubai roads. He added that the old speed cameras cost Dh250,000 each, while the new ones cost more than Dh300,000.