State and local lawmakers take a renewed look at speed enforcement cameras

An increasing number of communities have turned to speed enforcement cameras as a way to curb dangerous driving behaviors, raise revenue for governments and protect pedestrians and other motorists on the roads. But in some jurisdictions, lawmakers are revisiting the need for such cameras. 

Across the U.S., at least eight states have passed laws to prohibit the use of speed cameras in communities. That number could continue to grow, as several states and municipalities are reevaluating the impact of speed cameras amid rising concerns over their effectiveness and fairness as a traffic management tool, said Kamron Clifford, director of product management and mobility intelligence at mobility analytics firm Arity, in an email to Route Fifty. 

A major concern for lawmakers is if speed enforcement camera systems are being “run for profit, rather than the true purpose that they’re supposed to be run for, which is safety,” said Jay Beeber, executive director of policy at the National Motorists Association.

In Georgia, for instance, school-zone speeding cameras were authorized under a 2018 law but are now under scrutiny. A recent Fox 5 investigation found that the cameras used to photograph the license plates of speeding vehicles and issue tickets produced thousands of erroneous tickets to drivers in Atlanta, Jonesboro and Riverdale. The cities subsequently issued refunds totaling more than half a million dollars. 

Rep. Dale Washburn, a Georgia Republican, introduced a bill earlier this month that looks to repeal the 2018 law that allowed those speed cameras in school areas. 

State leaders in Virginia, as well, are trying to crack down on speed cameras by imposing stricter regulations on the technology, including prohibiting vendors from profiting off traffic violation citations and requiring revenue from speed camera enforcement to go toward pedestrian safety improvements.

Speed enforcement cameras could also have unintended consequences when it comes to their impact on drivers’ behavior, one Texas lawmaker suggested.

In Texas, Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Republican, introduced a bill earlier this month that would expand the state’s current ban on speed cameras to include portable devices. The proposed policy comes as the state’s Bexar County began issuing traffic violation tickets to speeding drivers flagged by a portable camera system that was deployed in January. A similar effort is underway in Mississippi.

Cain pointed out that LIDAR cameras like those used by Bexar County emit a flash that can be distracting to drivers, and “studies show that people are more likely to slam on their brakes or they drive more dangerously,” he said, per KSAT reporting. “There are increased fatalities around these cameras.”

Before jumping to camera tech, officials should consider safer road designs that naturally deter speeding, Beeber said.

Streets lined with trees or other obstructions can influence motorists to drive slower, as do roads that were engineered to be narrow. A 2023 study found that in seven U.S. cities, streets that were nine to 10 feet wide were likely to have fewer traffic-related collisions among vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

Other visual cues can also help municipalities address speeding motorists, such as speed feedback signs, Beeber said. The traffic control devices can report to drivers how fast they are going compared with the local speed limit and generally do not capture photo or video footage of passing vehicles.

A 2021 study from the U.S. Department of Transportation found that speed feedback signs were effective at encouraging drivers to reduce their speed even slightly, which further reduced the risk of speed-related collisions.

But some jurisdictions are continuing to explore the implementation and deployment of speed enforcement cameras. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that about 300 U.S. communities have speed cameras, with at least 19 states permitting their use.

Maryland lawmakers last month proposed a bill that would authorize the State Highway Administration to deploy up to four cameras total and up to three cameras in either direction on two separate interstates in Baltimore County. If passed, the bill would direct revenue from speeding violations caught up on camera to the SHA to finance roadway and safety improvements in the county. 

A proposed bill in New Mexico would authorize the state Department of Transportation to install automated speed enforcement cameras in construction zones. Forty-two other states allow cameras in work zones in an effort to protect the safety of workers on the side of the road.

To help promote effective camera systems, state and local officials must “involve the community,” said Adam Snider, director of communications at the Governors Highway Safety Association. Authorities should evaluate traffic data to identify areas where crashes or speeding are more frequently reported and determine appropriate locations for speed cameras with community input, he said.

Municipalities should also be transparent that revenue collected from speed camera systems are dedicated to road and pedestrian safety efforts to help build trust in the use of technology to manage traffic, Snider added.

“While speed cameras can be frustrating, they are a proven tool for reducing traffic fatalities and raising awareness of risky driving behaviors,” Clifford said. But officials should consider that speed cameras are “just one part of the solution. Long-term investments in traffic calming measures, like road design improvements, play a key role in sustainable speed management.”