Traffic TechnologyRecord low in road fatalities

A declared goal of the Cypriot authorities is to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries by 50 percent by 2030. To this end, a new program for improved road safety was launched in 2022, which relies on scanning LiDAR-based traffic enforcement. For the implementation, the Department of Electrical and Mechanical Services of the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Works Cyprus teamed up with Elovate, a division of Modaxo Traffic Management USA Inc., as the primary contractor, Brink’s Cyprus and VITRONIC, one of the leading providers of image processing technologies and intelligent solutions for more traffic safety. The preliminary results are promising: According to the Acting Superintendent of Cyprus Police, Charis Evripidou, the number of fatalities has already declined by almost 18 percent, and the number of serious injuries has decreased significantly as well.

Together with Elovate and Brink’s Cyprus, VITRONIC will provide in total 20 mobile enforcement units and vehicle expansion kits, as well as 90 stationary red-light and speed enforcement systems for the project. Both solutions are based on POLISCAN FM1 measurement technology, which enables a combination of red light and speed enforcement. Since most accidents at crossings occur due to violations from these areas, this is a decisive factor for securing intersections in general and a positive development observed in Cyprus to date.

Currently, mobile units are deployed nationwide, and 24 of the stationary systems are installed at 7 intersections in the cities of Nicosia and Limassol. The rest are scheduled to be in place by the end of this year.

"The stationary enforcement solution, the Compact City Housing or CCH for short, provides the program with additional security on another level," explains Semsettin Özünal, Head of Sales Traffic Technology Division Europe at VITRONIC. "Thanks to a height of up to three meters, it offers a high level of protection against vandalism and thus secures continuous operation."

Charis Evripidou emphasizes especially the benefits of the combination of fixed and mobile installations: "The operation of even a small number of fixed and mobile cameras has been instrumental in bringing about the encouraging reduction in road deaths. The mere fact of drivers knowing they can be caught on camera at any moment, led to greater compliance with traffic rules, particularly to obeying speed limits."

This deterrent effect is further supported by the cameras included in the systems, which provide evidentiary documentation of offenses.

To ensure the success of the project, VITRONIC not only supplied and implemented the systems – including the setup of the camera operational software that seamlessly integrates with the Elovate Automated Traffic Enforcement Solution – but also drove the planning and training in advance. Those responsibilities, among other things, include the selection and inspection of the chosen locations and the training of the local staff responsible, so that they could take over the installation and operation of the systems independently and smoothly. Service is also part of the comprehensive assistance.