Disadvantages of Traffic Cameras
Opponents of traffic cameras believe traffic cameras violate privacy and a citizen’s right to face his/her accuser. Traffic cameras photograph people without their knowledge and are a violation of Article 21 in MD Declaration of Rights because they violate your right to face your accuser. (Bryant, Biller, and MD Declaration) Furthermore, according to the ACLU, traffic cameras violate privacy rights and can be abused. They believe that any implementation of “a system that leads to widespread installation of cameras throughout [a] state cannot be ignored or minimized…. A further desensitization of privacy rights is inevitable….The data collected by these cameras will [eventually] be used for purposes other than tracking reckless drivers.” (acluct.org)
Another disadvantage of traffic cameras is that they often do not work correctly. The camera and recording system may not be maintained properly. MD law requires traffic cameras to be checked daily but they often are not. (www.motorists.org) Additionally, the pictures are not very high quality, so the officer reading the license plate might misread it and send the ticket to the wrong person. (www.acluct.org) Finally, the person driving the car may not be the owner of the car. Having a human pull over the offender would clear this up, so the driver would be billed, not the owner of the car. “The driver is not positively identified by the camera, so the default is to charge the vehicle's registered owner with the violation. The owner, who may not have been the driver, is presumed guilty. A bedrock principle of our justice system—a defendant is innocent until proven guilty—is unceremoniously jettisoned.” (Biller, U.S.News)
Another drawback of red light cameras in particular is that some believe the cameras are put in place because of revenue, not safety. According to a US News report, local and state governments are implementing traffic cameras to generate revenue, not to protect drivers. “Red-light cameras are a money-making enterprise for the cities that deploy them and for the camera vendors that build their business profitability around the ticketing machines… numerous studies, including an investigative report by the Washington Post, have shown accident rates increasing by double-digit percentages after the introduction of cameras.” (Biller, U.S.News)
Opponents of traffic cameras believe a further disadvantage specifically of red light cameras is that they increase the number of rear-end collisions. People may stop suddenly at a red light to avoid getting a ticket, but the people behind them were planning on driving through before the light turns red, and rear-end them. According to an article by Haley Hinds of CNYCentral: “…studies found that after the cameras were installed, rear-end crashes increased by up to 30%.” (Hinds)
Finally, the data shows the effectiveness of red light cameras is inconclusive. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s Automated Enforcement of Traffic Signals: A Literature Review, the data on automated enforcement systems has not proven them to be effective. The data is inconsistent and inconclusive. (Federal Highway Administration)