Speed Camera Chaos: Prefect in Naples Halts All Speed Checks Due to Lack of Device Certification

In Naples and across the province, an unprecedented suspension of all automatic speed checks has occurred. The decision was made on Wednesday by Prefect Claudio Palomba, who issued an order with immediate effect. The direct cause is the lack of valid type-approval certificates for the speed camera devices used by both the traffic police and municipal police. Type-approval is an official process involving the verification and certification that a measuring instrument meets specific legal and technical standards, guaranteeing the reliability and repeatability of its results. Its absence constitutes a serious legal flaw that prevents the effective imposition of fines, as evidence in the form of a photo from a non-certified device could easily be challenged in court.

The system of automatic speed surveillance via speed cameras, known in Italy as "autovelox," has a long and controversial history in the country. The first devices appeared in the 1990s, and their widespread use has for years sparked social protests and accusations that they primarily serve to generate revenue for local governments rather than improve safety. Italian law strictly regulates the type-approval, location, and signage of such devices, and their legality has been repeatedly challenged in court. The decision by the prefect, who is the central government's representative at the provincial level, is preventive and administrative in nature. As sources explain, it came to light that the type-approval documentation for some or all devices in the region is invalid, expired, or incomplete. In this situation, continuing to penalize drivers based on their readings would expose the authorities to a flood of appeals and lawsuits, which would very likely end in acquittals or the overturning of fines. In a released statement, Prefect Palomba emphasized that the priority is ensuring legal certainty and respect for citizens' rights.

Authorities admit they are unable to determine how long the suspension period will last. They do announce immediate action to obtain the necessary certificates or renew existing ones in order to restore the system to legal operation as quickly as possible. In the meantime, as police assure, surveillance of speed limit compliance will not cease. Checks will be conducted in the traditional way, by traffic police patrols equipped with handheld or in-car radar devices and laser speed guns. This form of surveillance, although more labor-intensive and less omnipresent, remains fully legal.

This situation reveals a broader problem of managing road surveillance infrastructure in many Italian regions. In the past, similar legal doubts concerning the type-approval, calibration, or correct signage of speed cameras have arisen in other parts of the country, leading to local suspensions or mass invalidations of fines. The event in Naples may prompt other prefectures to audit their own systems to avoid analogous problems. For drivers, it means a temporary reprieve from automated penalties, but not a release from the obligation to obey traffic laws. For the authorities, it is a costly lesson on the importance of administrative and technical procedures, which form the foundation of effective law enforcement.