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Changing lanes does not stop average speed cameras tracking drivers, despite a commonly believed myth.
Motoring organisations are warning motorists that persistent motorway habits will not prevent speeding penalties.
Rumours have circulated on social media for years that switching between lanes in average speed zones can confuse monitoring equipment.
The RAC confirmed that while older first-generation cameras may once have struggled with lane switching, modern technology makes dodging detection impossible.
Today, cameras monitor every single lane across a carriageway and cross-compare records instantly.
How modern average speed cameras track vehicles
Modern networks like SPECS and VECTOR use synchronised Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras linked across multiple gantry points.
The devices record number plates at entry points and calculate travel duration against fixed exit baselines.
Networked software logs exact timestamps as vehicles pass beneath each camera post before calculating the mean speed over the distance.
Moving between the inside and outside lanes does not reset or interrupt this calculation.
Computer systems match registration marks regardless of where a vehicle travels across the road surface.
Why braking under gantries creates severe road hazards
Road safety specialists also warned against the dangerous habit of slamming on brakes directly beneath yellow camera gantries.
Unlike traditional fixed Gatso devices that record speed at a single roadside point, average speed cameras calculate pace across miles.
Slowing down for a few yards under a gantry does nothing to erase speed accumulated over the rest of the check zone.
Traffic officers point out that abrupt deceleration on high-speed roads causes dangerous shockwaves in following traffic.
Panic braking also triggers sudden concertina delays and severe collision hazards for motorists travelling behind.
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Drivers who brake abruptly or steer erratically risk prosecution for careless driving if their actions endanger other road users.
Penalties for exceeding the speed limit
Anyone caught exceeding the speed limit faces a minimum fixed penalty of £100 and three penalty points on their licence.
Motorists who have passed their test within the previous two years face losing their licence if they accumulate six penalty points.
Higher speeds or repeat offences can result in court summons, where magistrates can impose fines of up to £2,500 on motorways alongside driving bans.
The RAC advised that the only reliable method to avoid penalties is maintaining steady compliance with posted signs.
Motoring experts recommend using cruise control or vehicle speed limiters to keep cars at a consistent pace through roadworks and managed motorway stretches.
Staying in lane and maintaining space allows traffic to flow smoothly without triggering enforcement action.