Have you spotted a speed camera at the bottom of a hill on your recent travels?

You might be wondering if it’s legal for it to be there or if it’s been put there by mistake.

Well fear not, as the motoring experts at Dick Lovett have commented on whether speed cameras can be placed on hills.

Do speed cameras work on a hill?

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The experts at Dick Lovett revealed: “Although it can feel frustrating if you get to the bottom of a hill, only to see the flash of a camera, and spend the next few weeks wondering if you were going too fast, speed cameras on hills are perfectly legal.

“And just because you might’ve not seen the speed camera, it doesn’t make the fine invalid.

“Speed cameras are there to encourage drivers to stick within the speed limit and are often placed at ‘high risk’ locations where there’s a history of multiple accidents.

“However, the Department of Transport (DfT) does advise that speed cameras should be yellow as of October 2016, and not obscured by things like trees or bushes.

“While there’s an old perceived guideline of 10% + 2 mph for speeding, speed cameras, and handheld speed guns are much more accurate than they used to be, so drivers certainly shouldn’t take this as gospel.

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“Even when we are travelling at, or below, the speed limit of a hilled road, the basic laws of gravity mean your car will gain momentum and speed up.

“To keep your speed down, you’ll want to use a combination of engine braking by gradually lowering your gears and careful use of pressing your brakes.

“However, going downhill with your foot on the brake the entire time will only wear down your car's brakes quicker than usual, and make it more difficult to stop if you need to.

“You should also avoid coasting and cruise control when driving downhill too.”

'You should also avoid coasting and cruise control when driving downhill too''You should also avoid coasting and cruise control when driving downhill too' (Image: Mark Sykes/Getty)

Recommended reading:

  • What speed triggers a speed camera? Motoring experts explain how they work
  • Warning to drivers as many caught speeding 100 metres after speed cameras
  • What happens after you’ve been caught by a speed camera? All you need to know

Why is it a bad technique coasting downhill?

The car experts explained: “Coasting is when you travel with your clutch pedal held down, or with the car in neutral, and while this naturally happens for short periods when changing your gears or coming to a stop, coasting downhill isn’t recommended.

“Not only will coasting ‘disconnect’ your engine from the wheels, leaving you with less control of your vehicle but if you need to react to something, putting the car back into gear can waste crucial time.

“Similarly, while cruise control or your car's speed limiter might seem like an effective way to control your speed while travelling downhill, many vehicles will still naturally speed up over the limit you’ve set.”