Astana, November 6. Six average-speed control zones will start operating on November 9 on the Almaty–Khorgos, Karaganda–Burylbaytal and Kyzylorda–Aralsk national highways, the national company QazAvtoJol reported.
The permitted speed differs by zone. On the Almaty–Khorgos road, where the zone has been updated, this is the Uigur–Panfilov section with a limit of 120 km/h. The Karaganda–Burylbaytal road has two zones, Shubartubek–Gulshat and Gulshat–Tasaral, with a limit of 140 km/h. The Kyzylorda–Aralsk road has three zones, Akzharma–Akzhar, Akzhar–103rd siding and 103rd siding–Aiteke bi, with a limit of 100 km/h.
The main feature of the system is that speed is checked along the whole zone, not only at the point where the camera stands. The units record the time a vehicle enters and leaves the zone; the average speed is calculated automatically from the distance covered and the time taken. If it exceeds the set limit, details of the violation are passed to the authorised bodies. Braking in front of the camera and then speeding up again will no longer work: speeding is recorded along the whole length of the zone. The size of the fine is not given in the company’s announcement.
QazAvtoJol said the system is needed for road safety, reducing the risk of accidents and driver discipline, and urged drivers to keep to the limits along the whole route, taking road and weather conditions into account.
What it means: Speed on these highways will be checked not at one point but over a stretch of road: the system calculates the average speed between entering and leaving the zone. For a driver this means a violation will be recorded even if they drove slowly right at the camera.
Who benefits: According to the company, drivers and passengers: fewer accidents and better discipline. What happens to drivers who exceed the speed will be decided by the authorised bodies.
Background: National highways are roads of national significance maintained by the state; QazAvtoJol is the national company that manages them. The permitted speed in a zone depends on the section: 100, 120 or 140 km/h.
