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Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Law - Driving to Illinois? Also, red light camera law in Indiana

The Chicago Tribune reports today:

Two camera-equipped vans will begin patrolling highway work zones in July, snapping images of drivers violating the 45 m.p.h posted speed limit, officials of the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today.

The vans will patrol expressway and tollway construction and maintenance zones.

Signs will warn drivers of the photo radar system, which will take a picture of the offending driver, his or her vehicle and record the vehicle's speed, officials said. Drivers captured on camera will be sent a ticket in the mail.

Work zone speeding fines increased last year to a $375 penalty on the first offense, almost double the previous $200 fine. A second ticket can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and a 90-day driver's license suspension.

The Evansville Courier& Press has an editorial today on the proposed red light camera law that raises a number of questions. It concludes:
Several states have banned red-light cameras and other photographic-enforcement systems.

Others have rewritten their laws after noticing that violations were being driven more by government greed than by safety considerations.

So from the safety standpoint there is some evidence that red-light cameras work, but there is enough evidence to the contrary to warrant caution. On the issues of intrusiveness and potential for abuse, the verdict would appear pretty clear.

We see a signal indicating the way the Legislature ought to vote on red-light cameras.

It would appear to be flashing yellow.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 30, 2005 03:18 PM
Posted to General Law Related