Speed camera apps on the way out: Will there now be a total ban in Germany?

What is already a reality in France will soon apply here too.

They are installed on millions of cell phones and regularly save drivers from fines—but that is precisely the problem now. The federal states want to ban speed camera warning apps not only while driving, but also completely remove them from circulation. Specifically, this means that not only their use, but also simply carrying them on your smartphone will become illegal. The model for this is France, where violations are punishable by fines of up to €1,500 – and there is no mercy.

In an official statement on the new road traffic law, the Federal Council is now taking a combative stance: it claims that the existing rules are toothless and that the apps undermine the goal of road safety—and should therefore be banned outright.

Previous law? A toothless tiger

Currently, anyone who uses a speed camera app while driving risks a fine of €75 and a point on their license in Flensburg. However, the app may still be installed—as long as it is not running. The problem is that the police have little way of checking whether it is really deactivated or whether it is still warning the driver in the background. In practice, therefore, the ban often remains ineffective.

This angers the states. They are particularly critical of the advertising for these apps: many advertise that they have already "saved the licenses" of countless drivers. For the Federal Council, this is a clear signal that this technology serves solely to conceal legal violations.

Europe is already further ahead – and tougher

A look abroad shows that Germany has been rather lax when it comes to speed camera apps. In France, simply possessing such apps is already prohibited. In Belgium, particularly serious violations can even result in a prison sentence.

The Federal Council now wants Germany to follow suit—to show that those who obey traffic rules are not the stupid ones. After all, notorious speeders endanger not only themselves, but everyone else on the road as well.

And the federal government? It's putting on the brakes.

While the states are stepping on the gas, the federal government is putting on the brakes. Transportation Secretary Patrick Schnieder (CDU) has stated that road safety is important, but that the states are responsible for enforcing the rules. A total ban? The federal government rejects that.

However, it is questionable whether this will remain the case. Pressure from the states is growing—and, given the increasing speeding on many roads, the public is also likely to lose patience with loopholes.

Our classification

Let's be honest: people who use speed camera apps don't do so for fun. They do it so they can drive too fast without getting caught. Period. Selling this as "driver assistance" is about as honest as calling tax tricks "financial optimization." The discussion about data protection or "user freedom" is nothing but a smokescreen in this case. Anyone who breaks the rules must expect the game to be over. And if necessary – by law.

Source: golem.de