| In the archaic days of law enforcement (think 2006), | | | | violations. The report, which analyzed data from a |
| an alert police officer, veiled by the cover of brush or a | | | | fixed speed-camera enforcement program on a busy |
| hillside, would sit patiently with a radar gun waiting for a | | | | Scottsdale, Ariz., freeway, concluded that the number |
| car to fly by at 90 miles an hour before firing up the | | | | of drivers traveling faster than 75 mph decreased |
| sirens. But in this age of advanced technology, | | | | from 15 percent without cameras to 1 to 2 percent |
| lead-footed drivers may never actually see flashing | | | | with cameras. By comparing the speeds on the |
| red-and-blue lights before receiving a citation - caught | | | | camera-laden freeway with speeds on nearby |
| for speeding not by a cop but by the eye of a | | | | freeways without cameras, researchers also |
| camera. | | | | concluded that the Scottsdale program was |
| Though they have been widely used in Europe and | | | | associated with as much as a 95-percent decrease in |
| Australia, so-called "speed cameras" are a relatively | | | | the odds that a driver would surpass 75 mph. |
| new innovation for United States law enforcement. | | | | Another area, Montgomery County, Md., is using both |
| Speed cameras are high-tech digital cameras that | | | | fixed and mobile speed cameras to enforce limits of |
| take pictures of vehicles breaking the speed limit | | | | 35 mph or less - particularly in school zones. This |
| (many are programmed to photograph vehicles going | | | | Washington, D.C. suburb started using speed cameras |
| 11 miles or more over the posted limit). Along with | | | | in May of 2007 and charged a flat fee of $40 to |
| getting a picture of the vehicle's license plate, they also | | | | every person ticketed. By comparing driver speed 6 |
| record the date, time, location and vehicle speed. | | | | months before using the cameras with those 6 |
| These cameras are usually found in three different | | | | months after getting the cameras, researchers |
| positions: fixed on poles, attached to traffic lights or | | | | determined speeding in enforcement areas had |
| housed in vans or other mobile units. When a vehicle | | | | dropped 70 percent. On top of that, the tickets earned |
| cruises past one of the cameras going over the | | | | more than $2 million in revenue for the area. |
| pre-determined speed limit, the camera will quickly take | | | | Surprisingly, support for the speed cameras is also |
| a series of photographs to document the violation. The | | | | pretty high among drivers. Surveys have found the |
| photographs are then processed by an analyst, who | | | | around 60 percent of drivers support speed cameras, |
| tracks the license plate and identifies the registered | | | | which, while not an overwhelming majority, is higher |
| owner (so, even if a vehicle's owner is not the one | | | | than one would expect. Still, without putting cameras |
| driving, they will still receive the ticket). Citations are | | | | on every stretch of road, many question their |
| usually sent out 1-2 weeks after the infraction | | | | effectiveness. While the IIHS study recorded many |
| occurred, along with copies of the photos and the | | | | positive results, it also indicated that once drivers were |
| vehicle's clocked speed. | | | | out of the posted camera zone (an area of about 8 |
| While speed cameras remain controversial, a recently | | | | miles) they quickly reverted back to speeding. And, |
| released report by the Insurance Institute for Highway | | | | another argument against the cameras is that ticketed |
| Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit organization funded by the | | | | drivers never have the chance to face an accuser - |
| auto insurance industry, showed that the cameras | | | | at least not a human one. |
| may actually be very effective in deterring speed | | | | |