By Jay Beeber, Director of Policy & Research
For the past few years, we’ve been monitoring a concerning trend in traffic enforcement: a steady shift towards more and more automated ticketing. Unfortunately, this trend appears to be gaining momentum. In California, we’ve witnessed a surge of bills introduced that attempt to authorize various forms of ticketing cameras, speed cameras, school bus cameras, bus lane cameras, and bike lane cameras. Last legislative session, California lawmakers even proposed a bill to allow cameras to ticket for loud mufflers. Washington D.C., in addition to its already intrusive red light and speed camera program, is considering stop sign and pedestrian right-of-way cameras. And just this month, the state of New York began deploying highway work zone cameras.
Is this really about safety? Or is it about money?
As one of our loyal NMA members, you are aware of the problems with these revenue-generating programs. First of all, photo enforcement programs are implemented with the promise of improving “safety for all,” however the statistics will often fail to show results. Once put into place, these programs insulate the public from post-implementation studies, if they are even conducted at all. Worse yet, we learn that those photo ticket cameras, if deemed to be ineffective (a monetary measure, not a safety measure), are sometimes moved to more profitable intersections. This often coincides with intentionally shortened yellow lights.
What makes camera tickets difficult to fight?
In many states, camera tickets are re-classified as civil violations, not infractions. As such, these ticketing programs are able to “automate” the adjudication process as well. Instead of receiving a traditional hearing in traffic court, drivers are relegated to administrative hearings, where jurisdictions can deny defendants most of the due process rights to which they would normally be entitled. In effect, these hearings are not designed at all to be platforms for justice. Defendants are presumed guilty, with limited options for a defense. It’s essentially “pay up and move on.”
The NMA is intervening on your behalf.
Fortunately, we’ve been able to defeat most of the automated enforcement bills in California. Last year, we successfully blocked the loud muffler bill, a school bus camera bill, and a speed camera bill. So far this year, we’ve blocked a school bus camera bill (for the seventh time) and are currently fighting against another speed camera bill (for the sixth time).
Try as we might, we simply can’t be everywhere, nor can we know about every new attempt to impose automated enforcement on an unsuspecting population.
Please tell us when you hear of ticketing programs in your area!
If you hear about any new efforts to pass legislation authorizing ticketing cameras or jurisdictions looking to start their own programs, please let us know. We may not be able to fight every battle across the US, but we can at least help you fight the good fight in your city or state.
If we’re not vigilant, we’ll soon see automated ticketing replace live police for all traffic violations everywhere, resulting in massive ticketing and a significant loss of rights. Let’s not allow that to happen. By being our eyes and ears on the street, you can help us help you.
