Regional Issues
In the U.S. state of Ohio, the issue of whether a city has jurisdiction under the Ohio Constitution to issue citations based on speed cameras will be heard by the Ohio Supreme Court on September 18, 2007, in the case of Kelly Mendenhall et al. v. The City of Akron et al.
They are illegal in Nassau County, Yonkers, Buffalo, Rochester, and Suffolk County, except in toll lanes equipped with E-ZPass where driving through at a speed in excess of the posted limit can result in a Speed Notice indication.
Some U.S. states that formerly allowed red-light enforcement cameras but not speed limit enforcement cameras ('photo radar'), have now approved, or are considering, the implementation of speed limit enforcement cameras. The Maryland legislature approved such a program in January 2006. In 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 the California legislature considered, but did not pass, bills to implement speed limit enforcement cameras. Tennessee legislators are also considering expanding their speed limit enforcement cameras after successes in Chattanooga such as generating $158,811 in revenue in the first three months.
A 2007 study of speed cameras on the Arizona State Route 101 in Scottsdale found a 50% reduction in the total crash frequency, with injuries falling by 40% however rear-end collisions increased by 55%.
As of late 2008 cameras are being placed along all Phoenix area freeways capturing drivers doing speeds greater than 11 mph over the posted speed limit. Over 100 new cameras are expected to be up and running by 2009.
As of 2009 speed cameras existed in 48 communities in the United States, including in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Washington, DC.
In the United States, it is common for all installation, operation, and verification procedures to be carried out by private companies that in some States receive payment based on the number of infringements they issue, and often under no testing regime whatsoever,[45] however these units are required by law to take at least two pictures of each vehicle.[46]
Opposition groups have formed in some locations where automated traffic enforcement has been used. In the US city of Scottsdale Arizona, an activist group CameraFraud was formed and staged sign-wave protests and petition drives to oppose the use of speed limit enforcement cameras ('photo radar'). In the 2008 elections in nearby Pinal County, Paul Babeau won an election for Sheriff after making a campaign promise to eliminate speed cameras.
It has been announced that Arizona will not renew its contract with Redflex, the company that operates the cameras.
(Source: Wikipedia)