NCJ Number
164131
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 23 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1996) Pages: 44,46-49
Date Published
1996
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Photo radar is the traffic law enforcement method of choice in more than 70 countries, but several factors have slowed the acceptance of this technology in the United States.
Abstract
Photo radar combines a camera, a microcomputer, and radar, which is triggered when a car exceeds a designated speed limit. The unit is set up in a marked utility vehicle or a permanent location by the road. Photo radar has demonstrated its effectiveness in both the United States and other countries. It saves money, and some say that it also saves lives. Recorded traffic accidents in Paradise Valley, Ariz. have declined nearly 40 percent since it began using photo radar. However, photo radar has been criticized for several reasons. The idea of mass surveillance and automated ticketing seems cold, intrusive, and flawed. It also appears to insert technology between the public and the police in an era of community policing. Some believe that it violates due process. Others note that photo radar tickets and fines speeders but does not stop them, allowing uninsured drivers, drunks, those with expired licenses, and those with outstanding arrest warrants to continue. Others consider photo radar to be similar to a small-town speed trap. The success of photo radar in other countries makes it clear that public involvement is crucial. The technology is advancing rapidly, and supporters conclude that its benefits and savings justify its use. Photographs