SLAVE TO THE TRAFFIC LIGHT: A ROAD MAP TO RED LIGHT CAMERA LEGAL ISSUES

Today, nearly half of all states use automated traffic enforcement. In these states, cameras record vehicles as they run red lights or exceed the speed limit, and violation notices are later mailed to the registered owner. The use of cameras for automated traffic enforcement presents numerous legal issues. First, the cameras are subject to highly inconsistent statutory and regulatory schemes: states vary widely in whether or how they regulate these cameras. Second, as more communities begin to install these cameras in more locations, courts will be confronted with more disputed citations generated by the cameras based upon federal, state, and local law, as well as the rules of evidence. Third, these cameras are vulnerable to political challenges as well, and successful challenges often engender additional litigation. View More