Evaluating the efficacy of average speed control systems on roads: An analysis.
In a comprehensive analysis spanning from March 17 to April 24, 2025, KazAvtoZhol reports a significant decrease of 8% in road traffic accidents on camera-equipped sections compared to the same period last year. This analysis also reveals a notable 29% reduction in injuries, suggesting an overall improvement in road safety.
The average speed control system, operational on international and republican highways since spring 2025, has cameras installed on straight sections where speed is calculated as distance traveled divided by time taken. The system currently covers the following sections: Astan – Shchuchinsk (limit 140 km/h), Astan – Pavlodar (limit 140 km/h), Shymkent – Kyzylorda (limit 110 km/h), Shymkent – Taraz (limit 110 km/h), Pavlodar – Semey – Kalbatau (limit 100-110 km/h), Uralsk – Russian border (Saratov) (limit 100 km/h), and Pavlodar – Russian border (Omsk) (limit 100-110 km/h).
Studies worldwide confirm that average speed control cameras lower mean speeds, decrease the number of vehicles exceeding speed limits, and reduce severe accidents and injuries due to consistent speed enforcement over long stretches. It's worth noting that the quality of roads in Kazakhstan varies, with some sections, such as Astana–Pavlodar and Pavlodar–Semey, boasting improved tarmac and relatively high speed limits.
The enforcement and safety benefits of average speed control cameras are expected to be particularly significant on high-quality, high-speed routes, making them suitable for the implementation of these devices. Their impact on roads with poor surfaces or low traffic density may be less substantial. As such, while the direct empirical study or official data specific to the mentioned routes is not available, the general trends observed worldwide support a positive outlook for road safety in these areas.
The increased deployment of average speed control cameras across major highways, such as Astan – Shchuchinsk, Astan – Pavlodar, Shymkent – Kyzylorda, Shymkent – Taraz, Pavlodar – Semey, Uralsk – Russian border (Saratov), and Pavlodar – Russian border (Omsk), could potentially lead to a decline in speeding violations and severe accidents in the finance sector, given the confirmed effects of these cameras on traffic. As the quality of the roads in these areas varies, with improved tarmac for routes like Astana–Pavlodar and Pavlodar–Semey, industry experts predict a significant reduction in road accidents and injuries, especially on high-quality, high-speed routes, which aligns with the trends observed globally in transportation safety.
