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Educational System on BR-040, in Minas Gerais, Tests Technology That Calculates Average Speed Between Two Points. Experience Should Support Regulation by Inmetro and the Federal Government for Use on Highways Across the Country.
The BR-040, between Belo Horizonte and Juiz de Fora, has become a laboratory for a type of enforcement that promises to change the “accelerate and brake” behavior on Brazilian highways. The concessionaire EPR Via Mineira has begun testing average speed cameras over a 6 km stretch in Nova Lima, in the Metropolitan Region of the capital, where the limit is 100 km/h.
For now, the system operates solely in an educational manner: there are no fines, but the data is already noteworthy. In ten days of testing, between October 11 and 21, 306 drivers were caught exceeding the limit, with an average speed of 105 km/h.
The experience is part of a broader strategy for road safety in Minas Gerais and occurs alongside discussions in Brasília regarding the regulation of this type of radar by Inmetro and federal agencies, a necessary condition for enforcement to begin issuing official citations.
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Experts see this new technology as a tool capable of changing Brazilian driver behavior in the long run, but the topic is already sparking debate: for some, it’s a step forward in safety; for others, it opens the door for a new source of fines on roads.
How the Average Speed Radar Works on BR-040
Unlike conventional radars, which register infractions at a fixed point, the new system installed on BR-040 reads the vehicle’s plate at two distinct points: at kilometers 545 and 551, heading towards Juiz de Fora. Based on the distance between the points and the time taken to travel, the software calculates the average speed.
If the driver covers the 6 km in less than approximately 3 minutes and 36 seconds, the system identifies that they exceeded the 100 km/h limit. The logic is simple: it’s no use to brake just in front of the radar; it’s necessary to maintain a steady and lawful driving pace throughout the entire stretch.
According to EPR Via Mineira, the choice of the location in Nova Lima was not random. The section, near the Jardim Canadá neighborhood, experiences high vehicle traffic and has a history of disrespecting speed limits, making it a critical corridor in terms of accidents.
For the concessionaire, the technology works almost like a “movie” of the driver’s behavior, rather than an isolated “photo,” allowing for better understanding of how drivers behave throughout the entire route.
Initial Results: Over 300 Drivers Caught and Focus on Education
In the first ten days of operation, between October 11 and 21, the average speed cameras on BR-040 recorded 306 vehicles above the 100 km/h limit, with an average speed of 105 km/h.
Despite the impressive numbers, the concessionaire highlights that, at this stage, there are no fines applied. The goal is to map user behavior, test the robustness of the system, and at the same time, send a clear message that the stretch is under constant monitoring.
According to Eric de Almeida, executive director of EPR Via Mineira, the aim is to encourage respect for limits along the entire highway, not just at visible radar points. He states that the focus is to “preserve lives and promote safer coexistence among drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians”, linking the project with traffic education programs conducted by the concessionaire.
The experience on BR-040 adds to other tests already conducted in the country, such as on the BR-050, in Uberaba (MG), where the implementation of average speed cameras in an educational context reduced 22.5% of recorded infractions after awareness campaigns, according to data from Ecovias Minas-Goiás and PRF.
This combination of continuous enforcement with educational campaigns is pointed out by experts as an effective way to reduce traffic incidents, especially on highways with high volumes of heavy and long-distance vehicles.
What’s Needed for the New Radar to Start Issuing Fines in Brazil
Even with the tests in Minas Gerais and other regions, the average speed cameras still cannot officially issue fines in Brazil. Currently, these systems operate only in an experimental capacity, without penalties being applied, precisely because federal legislation does not yet accommodate this model of enforcement.
For full operation, it is necessary for Inmetro to establish a specific technical regulation for this type of measuring device, along with adjustments to Contran and Ministry of Transport regulations. Inmetro has already indicated that it is working to publish the rules by 2025, acknowledging that the measure is directly linked to preserving lives on the road.
Only after this certification stage can concessionaires and traffic agencies use average speed data to issue citations, with legal and technical backing.
Until then, the tests serve to collect data, adjust equipment, and prepare public opinion for a possible change in the enforcement model.
Road Safety, Accident Reduction, and Controversy Among Drivers
International studies show that small reductions in average speed can significantly decrease the number of fatalities on the road. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that a 1% drop in average speed reduces fatal accidents by approximately 4%, reinforcing the role of speed cameras and speed limits as public health measures.
Experiences in countries like Italy, France, and Sweden show that similar average speed control systems have consistently helped reduce serious accidents and fatalities, specifically by discouraging the behavior of accelerating and braking only in front of the radar.
In Brazil, however, the topic often generates controversy. Mobility and road safety entities argue that the new model is fairer than point radar, as it measures driver behavior over a longer stretch, decreasing the chance of “gotchas.”
Conversely, some drivers fear that the technology will be used primarily as a revenue-generating tool, especially if it comes without transparency, clear signaling, and well-defined technical criteria.
While regulation is pending, BR-040 and BR-050 serve as showcases for what could be the future of electronic enforcement on federal highways. The tests in Minas Gerais are being monitored by agencies such as PRF and ANTT, which are expected to play a central role in defining how – and where – this type of radar will be used on a large scale across the country.
Knowing that a simple 6 km stretch on BR-040 has already caught over 300 drivers exceeding the limit, do you think that average speed cameras are a necessary solution to reduce accidents or just another cause for concern about new fines? Share your opinion in the comments.
Pra multar o Brasil é o campeão em tecnologia e investimento, encher os cofres públicos de dinheiro, mas as estradas e ruas continuam um lixo.
Brasil, um país de ****!!!
Até que enfim!
Os radares em pontos isolados e e com a obrigação de ser sinalizado o local, dando tempo ao motorista para diminuir fugir da multa, eram uma bobagem. Os abusados sentava em relação o pé e, perto dos radares, diminuíam por um trecho, mas logo depois aceleravam de novo.
Agora, sabendo que a velocidade média pode ser determinada em toda a extensão da estrada, todos terão que ficar sempre no limite, para não caírem na multa.
Muito bom.
Interessante está modalidade, evita a freada brusca que pode evitar acidentes como na 376 que sempre tem engavetamentos por freadas bruscas em radar