Speed enforement 'shakedown'

27 August 2003: Motorists in America are being subjected to a 'shakedown' racket by automated speed enforcement cameras, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA) which has called for a 'motorists Bill of Rights' against abuses of the systems.

An AAA spokesman noted that in Washington's metropolitan area alone, more than $30 million had been collected in fines from automatic photo-radar systems in the last 22 months. The organisation favours the use of such systems when 'initiated, motivated and run for safety pruposes' but withdrew its support for Washinton last October when the city's Mayor admitted that generating revenue was a factor in the sue of the cameras.

The organisation also called for law enforcement agencies to buy or rent their speed cameras instead of farming out the systems to provate companies, who are 'commission motivated' to catch out unintentional violators in addition to those who habitually speed.

The AAA concerns also related to 'red light runner' cameras, which it says are often timed inconsistently to 'nab the blink-of-an-eye violator'.

©2003 irishcar.com