Muqbil, the head of Riyadh Traffic Police, has said that rays from speed cameras in the capital's streets have no adverse effects on health. “There is no truth to rumors going round that the Saher traffic cameras damage health,” Al-Muqbil said at a media gathering on Saturday. “The rays emitted by the cameras are aimed at the vehicles and instantly gauge travel speed.” Al-Muqbil said that the Saher program, through which hundreds of speed cameras first became operational on the capital's streets two months ago, has brought a “noticeable response” from the motorists. “Average speed on the roads with cameras has fallen by 10 percent, from 85 kph to 74 kph,” he said. “In the first six weeks of the cameras being operational there was a 20 percent fall in the number of cars exceeding the speed limit, bringing it down to 4.2 percent,” the official said. Al-Muqbil also said that the Saher system had contributed significantly in tackling related offenses such as vehicle theft and illegal drivers.
