Launched in 1991, Via Verde was a pioneering system worldwide. In 1995 it was extended to the entire territory and made Portugal the first country to have a nonstop toll payment system.
Given its age, it would be expected that this system no longer had “secrets”. However, there is something that continues to raise doubts for many drivers: can we be fined for driving more than 60 km/h on the Via Verde?
That the system is capable of reading the identifier even at high speeds we already know, but are there toll radars?
Are there radars?
A quick visit to the “Customer Support” section of Via Verde's website gives us the answer: “Via Verde does not have radars installed at tolls, nor is it competent to carry out a traffic inspection activity”.Subscribe to our newsletter
Via Verde adds to this information that "only the traffic and transit authorities, namely the GNR Traffic Brigade, have legal powers of inspection and only these authorities have and can use radars."
But can we be fined?
Although, as stated by Via Verde, there are no radars installed at the tolls, this does not mean that if you go too fast on the lane reserved for Via Verde, you do not run the risk of being fined.
Why? Simply because nothing prevents road and traffic authorities from installing our well-known mobile radars on those roads. If this happens, when driving above 60 km/h taxes, we will be fined as in any other situation.
Basically, the question of whether we can go over 60 km/h on the Via Verde deserves an answer “eternalized” by the Gato Fedorento: “you can, but you shouldn't”.