Samstag, 09.05.2026
New developments regarding the ban on speed camera warning apps
from
Dr. jur. Ingo E. FrommLawyer
Specialist in criminal law
Specialist in traffic law
Give me a call: 0261 - 404 99 401
E-Mail:
Speed Camera Warning Apps as a Threat to Traffic Safety
Speed camera warning apps are widespread in everyday life. According to surveys, 49% of drivers use speed camera warning apps. By doing so, drivers aim to protect themselves from speeding violations and fines. In the legislature’s view, “speed camera warning apps” represent a means of evading the law. After all, they are promoted in app stores with claims such as that the app has “saved the user from losing their license many times.” The apps are not compatible with traffic safety, as users of warning apps are thereby encouraged to speed with impunity and typically accelerate again immediately after passing the indicated radar device. This distinguishes the app from other in-car systems that tell you how fast you are allowed to drive. Market leaders include apps such as “blitzer.de PRO” or the “Ooono” device.
Administrative offense pursuant to § 23 (1c) sentence 2 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO)
The use of so-called radar detector apps on a cell phone constitutes an administrative offense under § 23 (1c) sentence 2 StVO, which is punishable under No. 247 of the catalog of fines with a fine of €75 and one point in the Driver Fitness Register (FAER).
Low risk of detection and new policy proposals
In practice, fine proceedings for this offense are very rare. The risk of a violation being detected is very low, as the police would have to inspect the driver’s cell phone to do so. The initiation of fine proceedings is therefore currently based more on chance discoveries. Even in the case of traffic stops, the driver can often deactivate the app on their smartphone in time. On December 19, 2025, as part of its statement on the draft of the Fifth Act Amending the Road Traffic Act and Other Road Traffic Regulations, the Federal Council therefore called for a tightening of the ban. It sees a need for action to continue the modernization of road traffic law, increase the efficiency of proceedings, and sustainably strengthen road safety. Following the example of other countries, such as France, the Bundesrat proposed banning such apps entirely, as they serve no other purpose than to circumvent legal prosecution. Simply installing the apps should already be illegal. However, the federal government has since rejected a legislative amendment. It argues that a complete ban on so-called speed camera warning apps is unnecessary, as the use of these services while driving is already prohibited under current law. There is no empirical evidence that downloading such an app leads to more rule-breaking behavior on the road.
Assessment
The current legal situation is therefore unlikely to change for the time being, meaning that the possession or download of such applications remains legal. The “carrying of the apps in an operational state” remains relevant under fine law. The question arises as to whether the legislative initiative to ban speed camera apps is driven by the fear that this would result in fewer speed camera captures, thereby reducing revenue from fines. Although there are no clear, Germany-wide statistics proving that the use of warning devices results in fewer fines being collected, an overall decline in the number of speeding violations is highly likely.
If you are facing a fine, you should definitely seek the assistance of a Lawyer specializing in traffic law.
The statements represent initial information that was current for the law applicable in Germany at the time of initial publication. The legal situation may have changed since then. Furthermore, the information provided cannot replace individual advice on a specific matter. Please contact us for this purpose.