Voitures radars privées dès l’automne 2025, difficile d’échapper aux contrôles routiers dans le Var.

Published on June 27, 2025 Private radar cars are arriving in the Var department in fall 2025: what can we expect? Interview with Maître Aurélie Boukorras, lawyer at the Toulon Bar Difficult to spot, capable of flashing while driving, and driven by private drivers: so-called "privatized" radar cars will appear in the Var department in fall 2025. INFO83 takes a look at this constantly expanding automated enforcement system with Maître Aurélie Boukorras. An on-board, mobile, and discreet radar These cars are equipped with new-generation radars capable of measuring the speed of moving vehicles, whether traveling in the same direction or oncoming traffic. They use an infrared flash invisible to the naked eye and travel in unmarked vehicles of very common models (Peugeot 308, Dacia Sandero, Ford Fiesta, etc.), making them very difficult to identify. "These mobile radars are designed to blend into traffic and effectively cover accident-prone areas," explains Maître Boukorras. Private drivers, under contract with the government Since 2018, these radar cars have been driven by private drivers. The goal: to allow law enforcement to focus on other tasks such as blood alcohol or drug checks. These drivers are employed by companies under contract with the government. For the southern zone (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur), the company OTC (Operateur de Transport et de Contrôle) has been awarded the public contract to manage the radar cars, for the period from December 2024 to December 2026. This contract is renewable twice and covers a total of 126 vehicles in 31 departments. The drivers drive six hours a day on a pre-established GPS route. They have no leeway: they cannot issue tickets or change their route. To be eligible for this position, you must have at least 10 points on your license, have held your license for three years, and have a clean criminal record. Deployment planned in the Var region Until now, these vehicles have only been operating in four pilot regions: Brittany, Normandy, Centre-Val de Loire, and Pays-de-la-Loire. Starting in the second half of 2025, their deployment will expand to new areas, including the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region. This includes the Var region, as well as neighboring departments. The routes of these vehicles are established by government services in conjunction with the prefectures, based on accident and speeding statistics. More flexible tolerance margins than fixed speed cameras Unlike conventional automatic speed cameras, speed cameras offer a wider tolerance: For speeds below 100 km/h: a 10 km/h margin For speeds above 100 km/h: a 10% margin Examples: A vehicle clocked at 70 km/h on a road with a speed limit of 50 km/h will be considered as being at 60 km/h. A speeding ticket of 150 km/h on a motorway (instead of 130 km/h) will be reduced to 135 km/h. "This is a prevention measure, not a systematic penalty. Drivers who respect the Highway Code have nothing to worry about," reassures Mr. Boukorras. Can you spot a speed camera car? In theory, yes, but in practice, it remains complex. Two devices are visible from the outside: one on the dashboard, the other on the rear parcel shelf. However, only close and careful observation can distinguish them. These cars emit no signal and blend into the flow of traffic. ➡️ INFO83, all the news from the Var https://www.info83.fr 🔸Find the article on our website ➡️ Subscribe to the Var news YouTube channel INFO83 ➡️ Follow us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2N7nhCK