Drivers face 'prosecution' for driving past 'smiley face' speed camera signs

Vehicle activated speed signs (VAS) are operated by local councils across the UK and give instant feedback to a driver about their pace. Using clever radar detection, if the approaching car is exceeding the speed limit the driver will see a frowning face flash up on the display, as well as their clocked mph.

If the vehicle is abiding the speed limit, the motorist will see a smiley face instead. While the Smiley Activated Message (SAM) cameras aren’t operated by police and don’t work like a traditional speed camera, motorists have been warned that falling foul of them could still trigger a prosecution.

Motoring expert Graham Conway, of leading vehicle lease firm Select Car Leasing, explains: “Smiley Activated Message cameras are installed to provide real-time feedback to drivers in the hope that it deters speeding. The idea is that a driver will see a frowning face, realise they’re breaking the speed limit, and then slow down.

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“Sadly, many motorists will simply ignore a frowning face and continue to speed, seemingly safe in the knowledge that no cameras are recording their illegal deed and that they won’t end up with points on their licence. But it’s not quite as simple as that. One of the key benefits of a Smiley Activated Message camera is that, while it doesn’t store individual vehicle data, it collects and monitors driver speeds so that the operators can analyse the results.

“If the operators notice particularly excessive speeds, or large numbers of motorists exceeding the limit at a given point in time, it may well prompt the council to inform the local police to set up a very real speed trap. And if your actions have led to that outcome, you’ve only got yourself to blame if you ultimately end up with points on your licence and a fine, particularly if you use that route regularly.”

Mr Conway adds: “Again, if a smiley face camera operator sees driver speeds way in excess of the local limit, they’re well within their rights to inform the police, who could take action to snare such flagrant offenders.”