A few years ago, warning signs were posted ahead of mobile speed cameras, but police have since stopped using them. On Friday, the government decided to support a bill initiated by three members of the Riigikogu that would make advance warnings mandatory again. According to Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200), the draft law still requires amendments.

"The regulation on installing these signs and the consequences if, for example, a sign falls over or someone claims they didn't see it — there can be many practical nuances that aren't immediately obvious. But people who deal with this daily are already asking what happens in such cases. Does it automatically mean that the violation that was recorded effectively did not occur?" Taro said.

"Those working in the field see the practical problems that could arise from introducing such regulation. These challenges can be resolved — it just requires careful consideration. For instance, if a sign is knocked over by strong wind or deliberately pushed down, does that really mean all fines automatically become invalid?" Taro added.

Members of parliament proposing the bill believe that warning signs on highways should be placed 300 to 500 meters in advance and in cities at a distance of 150 to 300 meters.

Taro said these figures were put forward without proper analysis. In its opinion, the Ministry of the Interior warned that the change could create situations where it would no longer be possible to measure speed in high-risk traffic areas.

Taavi Kirss, service owner of the rapid response group at the Police and Border Guard Board, said that using such signs in urban environments would be extremely difficult. "There are many intersecting roads and a driver who has exceeded the speed limit would always have the option to claim the sign wasn't there and request that the fine be canceled," Kirss said.

He added that there are also locations on highways where it is difficult to install a sign so that it is visible to drivers in the left lane. According to Kirss, the warning signs were abandoned because drivers would typically slow down when they saw them, only to speed up again after passing the camera.

Chair of the Riigikogu Legal Affairs Committee Madis Timpson (Reform Party) dismissed these arguments as far-fetched. In such locations, he said, police should instead measure speed directly on site.

If the government's concern lies with the proposed distance between the warning sign and the speed camera, Timpson noted that those distances can be adjusted during committee discussions in parliament.

"We can debate whether these signs are necessary or not, but they were once promised and the Riigikogu passed legislation with the understanding that they would be implemented. This is a matter of principle," Timpson said.

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