Lisbon, Aug. 5, 2026 (Lusa) - More than 3.6 million drivers in Portugal have been caught speeding over the 10 years that speed cameras have been managed by the National Road Safety Authority, but the number of offences has been falling since 2023, the year in which the highest number was recorded.

In a review provided to Lusa on the 10 years of operation of the National Speed Control System (SINCRO), the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) reports that the system detected 3,611,645 speeding offences over the 10-year period, with fines reaching record levels in 2023, totalling €671,709.

Since 2023, offences have been falling slightly, totalling 477,297 in 2024, 418,783 the following year and 163,951 up to 1 July this year.

The second year with the highest number of offences detected by SINCRO was 2018, when 515,838 fines were issued.

SINCRO, which automatically detects speeding offences, was established in 2016 with the gradual installation of the current 123 Speed Control Points, of which 100 are Instantaneous Speed points and 23 are Average Speed points.

All speed cameras in the SINCRO System are always clearly signposted, according to the ANSR, which plans to install 12 new average speed control sites «in the near future»; these monitor drivers' average speed by measuring the time taken to cover a specific distance.

The ANSR also reports that at the radar locations installed in 2016, there was a 23% reduction in the number of accidents involving casualties, a 71% reduction in fatalities, a 38% reduction in serious injuries and a 22% reduction in minor injuries.

Provisional figures from the ANSR indicate that road accidents and fatalities are on the rise this year.

According to the ANSR, since 1 January, 89,763 accidents have been recorded – 6,000 more than in the same period last year – resulting in 285 fatalities (23 more), 1,728 serious injuries (87 more) and 25,846 minor injuries (475 fewer).

CMP/AYLS // AYLS

Lusa