What does interval speed measurement mean?

[HenryRose]

Interval speed measurement involves setting up two adjacent monitoring points on the same road section. The average speed of a vehicle on that road section is calculated based on the time it takes for the vehicle to pass between these two monitoring points. The system then determines whether the vehicle has exceeded the speed limit according to the road's speed regulations. Simultaneously, the information of traffic violators is displayed in real-time on LED screens to notify and warn more vehicles. The interval speed measurement system conducts real-time monitoring and captures images of vehicles passing through the monitored area of the road checkpoint. It collects data such as the vehicle's speed, traffic flow, license plate number, color, approximate physical dimensions, and driver characteristics. This information is then transmitted via a network to the database of the public security traffic command center and the traffic control sub-center for data storage, querying, comparison, and other processing.

[JamesRose]

Interval speed measurement is like assigning a math class representative to the highway—it sets up monitoring points at both the start and end of a road section to calculate how long your car takes to traverse the entire stretch. For example, on a 30-kilometer speed-limited section, the minimum required time is 24 minutes. If you finish it in just 20 minutes, that’s definitely speeding! This mechanism specifically targets those 'clever' drivers who slam on the brakes before regular speed cameras. Now, it’s being widely implemented on highways nationwide, and navigation apps will give advance warnings. But the safest approach is still to keep your speed within the limit throughout the entire stretch.

[VanAna]

Last time I was on the highway, I got completely nailed by the average speed check. The biggest difference from regular cameras is that it calculates your average speed—dividing the distance between point A and point B by your travel time. For example: On a section of the G15 I often drive, the entire 18-kilometer stretch has a speed limit of 120 km/h, meaning you must take at least 9 minutes to cover it. Once, a slow car ahead delayed me by 4 minutes, so I pressed the accelerator harder later to make up time. Turns out I hit 140 km/h in the second half and got caught speeding. Lesson learned the hard way!

[GabriellaMarie]

As an auto mechanic, I have to explain the principles clearly: regular speed checks capture instantaneous speed, while average speed checks use two gates to measure time. The equipment has license plate recognition cameras at both the start and end points, working with induction loops to record the time difference. It's important to note that some sections now also have instantaneous speed checks layered on top, meaning even if your average speed is compliant, excessive momentary speeding can still get you fined. Also, temporary speed limit adjustments in construction zones are the easiest to get caught by—when you see a yellow speed limit sign, you need to recalculate your timing.

[Paislee]

From a driving instructor's perspective, the key point is: the most taboo thing in an open-zone speed measurement section is playing the 'fast-slow-fast' game. For example, driving leisurely at 60 km/h for the first 10 minutes, then speeding up to 150 km/h for the next 5 minutes to average out the speed. Even if the average speed doesn't exceed the limit, the latter part's 50% over-speeding will still cost you 12 points! The safe approach is to maintain a constant speed, and using cruise control is the most worry-free. Pay attention to the blue-background, white-lettered 'Zone Speed Measurement' signs on the roadside, and at the endpoint, there will be a real-time speed display screen showing your average speed.