It includes your typical fixed and mobile speed cameras, as well as average speed cameras. They could also warn you about those subtle cameras mounted on traffic lights, and so forth. This will be important, given that there are over 7,000 speed cameras that are strategically placed throughout most British roads. Yet, how does it actively warn you about it? Be Aware Of Your Surroundings Come on Saphe, please speed up both this critical update and the time it takes to update other areas of your database (eg. the M4 Slough area average speed road works were removed weeks ago and yet the database is still claiming it’s 50mph when it’s not. Pretty annoying after 20minutes of false alerts...

Some police forces consider using a laser jammer to be perverting the course of justice, which comes with a hefty fine and even jail time in severe instances. However, if you don’t want to pay for a costly speed camera detector, there’s a range of smartphone apps available that can offer the same peace of mind; they use GPS and online databases to flag up speed camera locations nearby. I bought this to use in the UK, and specifically for camera vans and mobile speed traps and it just doesn't have the data. I never used the Saphe Link app to give me on-screen phone alerts, so I can’t vouch for how well it works.

FAQ

Slightly chunkier than the Saphe One+, it’s still tiny, measuring in at 6cm x 2 x 3.5. It’s also a fraction heavier due to the extra tech inside.

You can change the alert volume and type for every single warning. There are eight to choose from, with the lowest three being less intrusive beeps rather than wailing sirens. At their heart, speed camera detectors are all about keeping drivers informed and, by extension, safe. They’re particularly useful when you’re in an unfamiliar area or remote location where you might be unsure of the legal limit. Look for a clear display so you can read the information clearly without having to take your eyes off the road. Some will sound an alarm, too, which is a useful additional feature. A few days ago I was travelling on the M4 motorway. The Saphe alarm notified me when I entered an average speed zone in advance. If you have been anywhere near the M4 motorway near Slough in recent times there is a long stretch of roadworks with average speed cameras. Usdrivers already know how easy it is to increase speed and potentially break the speed limit in these average speed camera zones. For those of you (like me) who have not heard of Saphe…they are a Danish technology company. Currently they are Europe’s best selling traffic alarm brand. Their aims are to reduce the number of road traffic accidents/incidents, speeding fines and points on our driving license by sharing real time traffic data. This can be done by other Saphe users notifying the system of any potential dangers on the road.This is a really good traffic alarm system and I like the idea that we (who use and report road issues on it) are part of a community looking out for each other. It also warned me that I was approaching a vehicle on the motorway hard shoulder. A few days later it warned me of possible danger ahead on an A-road that I was travelling on early in the morning. The unknown danger to me (which I was approaching) was fog in the area. It made me even more alert than usual because where I was driving at the time visibility was good….until I approached the foggy area that the Saphe Drive Mini warned me about. Warning other motorists of danger is a great feature of Saphe products. You can also use the Saphe Link to show you your progress, like Google Maps, or show upcoming warnings. Which I don’t really get, as if you buy the Saphe One+, you’ll be alerted, so why do you also need to see the cameras on your phone? If you’re happy using an app, all of those tested found the fixed cameras on our route. Waze’s ace card is the amount of crowd-sourced data it can collect from users, which means you are more likely to be warned about a mobile unit.

It is a neat little unit that springs to life when the associated Bluetooth phone with companion app is in proximity. This means just by carrying my phone it will alert as a dedicated unit, vs using Waze I have to ensure the audio is set up correctly for the alerts and have my phone on display. The compact unit takes a feed directly from Highways England to deliver real-time speed limit information across the nation’s smart motorway network – an exceptionally useful feature for the long-distance driver. No less appealing is its ability to calculate your average speed between two average speed cameras, so you can slow down if you’ve inadvertently crept up over the limit. The 2.4in screen is clear and crisp, and it’s possible to tailor the alerts to what’s most important to you, while the mount offers an excellent level of adjustability to ensure the screen is always in view. You are allowed to use a radar detector under UK law. There were mutterings from the government that they could be banned, but no legislation has been presented so far. The best speed camera detectors you can buy in 2023 1. Saphe Drive Mini Speed Camera Detector: Best-value speed camera detectorFirst things first: the best way to avoid getting caught speeding is to not speed in the first place. However, with local authorities frequently changing limits, and the UK’s road sign network seemingly in a poor state of repair, this can be easier said than done – especially when you’re simply following the flow of traffic, or you’re travelling along a road late at night with no other cars around. Alerts are actually delivered via your mobile smartphone, which uses its GPS to detect your location and speed while the Saphe One+ effectively acts as a Bluetooth speaker with added flashing lights for the app. This makes for very simple operation, and many drivers appreciate not having any additional touch screens to distract them from the road.

Well, once it’s paired to your phone, it’ll access your phone’s GPS to figure out where you are. Perhaps most importantly, it can also gauge where you’re heading to. From there, it can then aptly warn you if you’re about to drive into danger. Be it a traffic collision or a cheeky speeding camera hidden in the bushes. Alert distance can be changed for the accident and congestion warnings, but the speed cameras can’t. We all feel the need for speed sometimes, but on our roads that can come with some serious risks - not only to you but other road users too. A speed camera detector can help you know what’s coming up ahead. It’s not an excuse to speed because there is no excuse, but it can help you stay on the right side of the law if you happen to sometimes stray on to the wrong side.So, why not add a speed camera detector to your car today and see what benefits it can bring to your daily drives? With the cheaper versions of the Saphe traffic alarm, the batteries have to be replaced every few months. The Drive Mini has a more sustainable solution. Although the little speed camera detector lasts quite a long time (about 5 months), it will eventually run out of juice. And if that happens, it can be easily recharged via USB in a very short time (2-3 hours). And that even while driving in the vehicle via the cigarette lighter, for example. That means no effort and no additional costs. It's disappointing to hear that the device didn't always alert you to police speed camera setups. We will review this matter and work on improving our alerts for such situations.