That's the eternal question when it comes to road checks in Luxembourg. Our colleagues at RTL Infos asked an expert in the field.

Who better to answer motorists' questions when it comes to road safety than Paul Hammelmann, lawyer and President of the Luxembourg Association for the Prevention of Road Accidents. Strangely enough, this question continues to be debated in the Grand Duchy.

The simple answer is yes. He confirms that Luxembourg law does not prohibit officers from hiding to conduct speed checks.

Hammelmann also points out that the authorities already disclose some of the speed checks carried out every day to encourage motorists to respect the speed limit.

"When the law on radar cameras was passed, there were discussions as to whether or not certain checks should be made official," Hammelmann explains. In the end, it was decided to make some of them public.

Hammelman does admit that he doesn't know 'whether it's 40, 50 or 60 per cent of the checks that are communicated to the public'. Nonetheless, motorists are never truly safe from an unexpected check, which is why he advises everyone simply to keep to the speed limit.
Our colleagues at RTL Infos then took the opportunity to talk to him about the speed camera that has been in the news a lot this May: the device that had been installed under an election sign near Remich.

According to the lawyer, there was nothing illegal about this, but he admits that the ploy was in bad taste.

RTL

© Mobile reporter

While the police were not at fault for concealing this radar, is it fair game to catch motorists at fault? The theoretical answer is no, but in practice, there is no substantial defence for speeding motorists.

"I've never seen a case like this, but if you have any suspicions, your lawyer can ask whether the radar used is approved or has been properly maintained. If I'm not mistaken, the mobile radars are due to be serviced every three months."

Nonetheless, you have to go through a lawyer to get access to this information, which will in turn be granted by the judge in charge of the case.

Paul Hammelmann, for his part, is in favour of a more proactive approach.

"In France we say that controls are just to fill the state purse. If you really don't want this state to take money out of your pockets, respect the speed limits", he concludes with a smile.