There are roads where the scenery distracts you, and others where it’s wise not to take your eyes off the speedometer. Some, without much warning, hide the most active speed cameras in the country. One of the most dreaded in the Canary Islands is located precisely on the island of Tenerife, where year after year thousands of drivers are penalised for exceeding the permitted speed limit.
According to the latest report from the organisation European Motorists Association (AEA), the devices from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) detected nearly 3.5 million speeding violations across Spain in 2024. Over 113,000 of those reports occurred on Canary Island roads.
More fines than ever
The report’s data indicates that speeding fines in the Canary Islands increased by 10% compared to 2023. While 103,402 penalties were recorded that year, the figure rose to 113,942 in 2024. This positions the archipelago as one of the regions with the highest growth in this type of offense. And within that increase, one name keeps appearing in every statistic: the speed camera on the Vía de Ronda in the municipality of La Laguna, one of the busiest areas in northern Tenerife.
The La Laguna speed camera
Installed on the TF-13 road, the Vía de Ronda speed camera is one of the oldest and most active in the archipelago. Its location, in a highly urbanised area with heavy traffic, makes it one of the most effective at detecting speeding. In the past year, this camera recorded 9,491 violations, a high figure, but lower than the 14,310 sanctions recorded in 2023. Despite the decrease, it remains the most penalising on the island of Tenerife and one of the most criticized by local residents, who are calling for additional measures to prevent shocks and accidents.
Another very active speed camera
The second position in the ranking of the most active speed cameras in Tenerife is held by the device located at kilometre 59 of the Southern Motorway (TF-1), near the municipality of Granadilla de Abona. This camera, situated on a high-capacity road with intense traffic, caught a total of 5,943 vehicles in 2024 for exceeding the speed limit. The TF-1, being one of the island’s main arteries, sees thousands of trips each day between Santa Cruz, the airport, and the tourist areas in the south. Speeding on this road can have serious consequences, and the cameras are specifically aimed at deterring reckless behaviour.
Safe driving above all
The DGT and organisations like the AEA remind us that speed cameras do not have a revenue-generating function but rather a preventive one. Their objective is to reduce accidents and enforce the limits set for road safety reasons. Driving at the appropriate speed not only avoids fines; it saves lives. So if you pass the Vía de Ronda or the TF-1, remember the essential: ease off the accelerator.
