Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Illinois DOT Opposes Intersection Traffic Safety Bill
Illinois State Senator Dan Duffy (R-Barrington) says he introduced Senate Bill 3504 to try to improve the safety of Illinois intersections by adding one second or more of yellow light timing to traffic signals at red light camera locations. According to Senator Duffy, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), a state agency that has overseen impressive reductions in traffic accidents and deaths over the past decade through aggressive legislation, programs and initiatives promoting driving safety, is opposed to his bill — despite a wealth of evidence to support such a measure.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Arizona Senate Adopts Photo Enforcement Limitation
The Arizona state Senate adopted one limitation on photo enforcement while rejecting another. An attempt to let voters decide whether to continue using red light cameras and speed cameras failed on a split 14-14 vote (the bill sponsor switched his vote for procedural reasons), while a measure that would force automated ticketing machine vendors to obtain private investigator licenses passed 17-11.
Monday, March 5, 2012
California: Court of Appeal Backs Red Light Camera Ticket
The California Court of Appeal’s second appellate district overturned a red light camera ticket just last month. On Thursday, a different three-judge panel decided to publish a ruling upholding a citation. The decisions split on the question of the admissibility of evidence produced by the for-profit firms that operate all aspects of the photo ticketing process.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Maryland: Legislation Highlights Speed Camera Flaws
Sixteen members of Maryland’s House of Delegates filed a bill earlier this month highlighting abuses in the way private contractors operate speed cameras in the state. The modest changes would neither ban nor restrict the use of automated ticketing machines. Instead, they would close loopholes that many jurisdictions have exploited. Outraged by the bill, the College Park city council voted unanimously Tuesday to urge a House committee to defeat the proposal.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Florida Supreme Court Limits Fellow Officer Rule
Under the “fellow officer rule,” courts presume that what one officer knows at a crime scene is presumed to be shared among all officers present. This allows a policeman to develop probable cause and then turn to his partner to conduct the actual arrest. As Florida’s Supreme Court ruled last week, this doctrine does not mean an officer can provide hearsay testimony in court about things only his partner witnessed.
