Moldovan police use drones to combat traffic violations
Drivers are being warned that from Wednesday, they will face surveillance from police drones, not just ground patrols.
Moldovan police have deployed 16 drones in towns across the country to detect and document traffic offences.
The operation began around 10:00 BST at the intersection of Balcani Road and Mircesti Street in the capital, Chișinău. Just minutes after being launched, the drones caught the first traffic offences. One driver failed to follow road markings—an offence punishable by a 500 lei (£22) fine and two penalty points.
"I didn't take the right lane because I was watching the drone, and that's also bad, because it misleads you. The drone, we're looking at it and I got the direction wrong," a driver said.
The drones were launched simultaneously in five locations in Chișinău, as well as in cities like Bălți, Edineț, Orhei, Soroca, Criuleni, and Hîncești. In the nearly two hours the operation lasted, over 100 offences were recorded.
One driver commented: "I don't use apps that show where the police are, nor do I care where the police are or where the drones are. You can drive correctly and follow the rules 100 times, and then you break them once and get caught."
Another added: "It's a very good idea. Let's have as many drones as possible, and those who break the law should be punished."
"I feel like a bandit behind the wheel if I'm being followed by drones and stopped at every turn," a third driver said.
The use of drones is intended to discourage traffic violations and prevent accidents, according to law enforcement officials, especially since statistics show an increase in the number of collisions, particularly now in August.
"The main cause of road accidents remains speeding, which also includes exceeding the speed limit and failing to adjust speed to weather conditions. In second place, we have road accidents involving pedestrians, and unfortunately, the main cause here is failing to yield to pedestrians as required by law. Third, we have road accidents due to drunk driving. In terms of numbers, there aren't many, but in every case, the consequences are injured people and deaths," said Pavel Apostol, Interim Head of the Road Safety Directorate at INSP.
In the first seven months of the year, there have been 1,200 road accidents, resulting in 102 deaths and 1,400 injuries.
