ai express – Automated ticketing systems have been outlawed in one out of every five states, with the possibility of more states following suit in the near future.
More and more drivers are receiving traffic tickets in the mail, accompanied by a photo of their car speeding or running a red light. Have you ever experienced this?
Automated traffic cameras, hailed by some as a cost-saving measure and a way to free up police resources, are facing growing opposition in several states. Personally, I understand why. Traffic laws, including speed limits, are designed to give police officers the discretion to determine whether a ticket should be issued. This discretion allows them to consider various factors beyond just the speed at which a driver is traveling, such as the overall safety of the situation.
States that do not allow the use of automated recording equipment for law enforcement purposes or issuing tickets include Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Additionally, Maine prohibits the use of surveillance cameras outside of toll plazas, making it the tenth state with such regulations. Iowa is also considering joining this list as the eleventh state.
Several states have restrictions on the use of traffic cameras, only permitting them in certain circumstances. For example, Arkansas allows ticketing through traffic cameras, but only in designated areas like school zones, railroad crossings, or work zones, and only if a police officer is present. Similarly, Ohio also mandates the presence of a police officer. In Nevada, traffic cameras are limited to being placed on police cars, in police-owned facilities, or on police officers themselves.
In this situation, there exists a commonly adopted middle ground. The utilization of camera footage as a tool is permitted for police officers, but the process of issuing automated tickets is not.
Louisiana has an interesting law that states that if you are convicted via camera, it cannot be added to your driving record. On the other hand, Iowa currently allows automated ticketing under certain local ordinances, as there is no statewide law against it. However, this may change shortly.
Iowa is currently in the process of voting on a state senate bill that encompasses two significant measures. Firstly, it aims to prohibit the use of automated ticketing through traffic cameras. Secondly, it seeks to establish a new law that makes it illegal for drivers to hold their phones while operating a vehicle.
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New York State restricts the use of traffic cameras to school zones, but New York City is taking it a step further by testing the use of cameras that can issue tickets to drivers for excessive noise. Yes, you heard it right – the city is piloting a unique system where traffic cameras are equipped with microphones. Once the noise reaches a certain decibel level, these cameras activate, capture an image of your license plate, and subsequently send you a ticket through the mail.
The technology used for toll plazas and by police to monitor vehicles is known as automatic license plate reader systems (ALPR). However, these systems have faced criticism from organizations like the ACLU due to concerns over the data collected being sold by manufacturers.
