If you drive on Slovak roads with a phone in your hand or without a seatbelt, get ready: from September 1, 2026, you will no longer need to be stopped to be fined. The police will be able to simply send a ticket to the vehicle owner, who will no longer be able to "pass" the fine to the person who was actually driving.
The Parliament expanded the so-called objektívna zodpovednosť (objective responsibility) — the principle under which the owner of the vehicle is responsible for violations recorded automatically, not the driver. Until now, this mainly applied to speeding, but now the list is significantly wider, writes Podnikajte.sk.
What exactly the cameras will record
From September, the list of violations that can be proven automatically will include:
- not using a seatbelt — by the driver or passengers;
- phone use while driving — the camera must distinguish whether you are holding the device in your hand or just talking;
- not maintaining a safe distance;
- driving into the oncoming lane.
A separate story is distance. The law does not specify exact meters, only time: a passenger car must reach the point where the previous vehicle is currently located within 2 seconds, a truck or bus within 3 seconds. This cannot be determined by eye, so artificial intelligence works here: the system instantly measures the distance, counts the time, and records the violation, explains TechByte.sk.
How it works technically
In Germany and the Netherlands, such mobile systems already work — the most famous is Monocam. The camera is installed on a bridge over the road and continuously records video of the traffic flow. AI analyzes the image: if it sees a phone in the driver's hand or an unfastened seatbelt, it takes a photo. Then the photo is obligatorily checked by a live police officer, and only then is the fine sent to the addressee.
Sanctions do not become lighter because of this. For phone use while driving in Slovakia — a fine of up to 300 euros and possible license suspension for up to 2 years. The only difference is that before, you had to be stopped by a patrol, but now it is enough to pass by the camera.
And where are the radars themselves?
As of August 2026, the Slovak police do not have any stationary radar for automatic violation recording. The purchase of about 279 devices has been delayed since 2024 due to a review of the public procurement process itself.
Moreover, two test stationary radars NERO R-ONE, which were already on the roads, were dismantled on August 10, 2026, by order of the Ministry of the Interior (MVS). The reason sounds almost like a thriller scenario: the ministry suspected possible Russian origin of the equipment, and the documentation did not allow a clear check of where the components came from. In its official statement of the Ministry of the Interior, it rejects some accusations, but the fact remains: the radars were removed.
So the reality for the coming months is this: the law will be in effect from September 1, but the equipment for its full implementation is still in question. How many mobile cameras with AI will actually be on the roads, the Ministry of the Interior does not specify.
What this means for you
- If the car is registered to you — all "happy letters" (fines) will come to you, even if a man, družina (spouse), or friend was driving. Who you trust with the keys now matters.
- If you are a courier or drive a lot — the habit of holding a phone in your hand for navigation is now a direct risk of a 300 euro fine. A windshield holder costs ten times less.
- Seatbelts — for everyone in the cabin, because the camera records the entire cabin, not just the driver's seat.
Stationary radars in Slovakia currently exist only as plans and controversial tenders, but mobile cameras with artificial intelligence are already a reality in neighboring countries. Judging by the law amendment, Slovakia is moving in this direction. Buckle up — literally.
