ETLE Fails to Deter, Wrong-Way Driving Still Occurs in North Jakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The presence of electronic traffic enforcement cameras, or Electronic Traffic Law Enforcement (ETLE), on several arterial roads in Jakarta is deemed ineffective in curbing traffic violations. In various points in North Jakarta, drivers continue to recklessly drive against the flow of traffic despite the locations being equipped with surveillance cameras. One high-risk spot is on Jalan Yos Sudarso, specifically at the U-turn beside the Plumpang Transjakarta Bus Stop. At this location, wrong-way violations still frequently occur. Additionally, the U-turn in front of Artha Gading Mall (MAG) is another similar site. Here, violations are more commonly committed by car drivers who recklessly make U-turns to shortcut the route to Sunter. Another point is on Jalan Boulevard Raya, Kelapa Gading. At this spot, motorcyclists from Jalan Kelapa Nias often drive against traffic to head directly to Kelapa Gading Mall (MKG). One rider, Bagus (23), admitted to frequently committing such violations to avoid congestion. “Because if you take the U-turn towards MKG, it sometimes gets severely jammed, so it’s better to cut through,” he said when interviewed by Kompas.com at the location on Monday (30/3/2026). Nevertheless, Bagus claimed he remains careful when driving against traffic to avoid endangering other road users. Transport observer Azas Tigor Nainggolan assessed that the phenomenon of wrong-way driving is not solely caused by distant U-turn distances. According to him, the layout of U-turns on main roads has actually been designed to maintain traffic flow and safety. On stretches like Jalan Yos Sudarso, adding more U-turns is considered difficult as it could potentially cause congestion. Therefore, Azas views the primary solution as optimising the ETLE function. He suggested that all installed ETLE devices be rechecked to ensure they operate optimally. In his opinion, many ETLE cameras are merely installed but not yet effective in recording violations.