NYC Drivers: Speed-Cameras May Soon Start Slowing You Down

NEW YORK, NY, July 09, 2012

Everyone loves to choose their own speed while driving around town. Unfortunately, when you're navigating around a place as big as New York City, you really need to obey the laws and make some concessions for the common good.

Once new speed-camera laws are passed, more and more drivers are likely to start monitoring their speedometers a bit closer in order to avoid incurring some of the new fines on the legislative horizon.

What These New Camera Laws Will Entail

According to a recent New York Times article, 40 cameras may soon be mounted all across the city, constantly monitoring the speed of drivers passing by. Only a limited number of people will ever really know when they're being tracked since half of those cameras will be rotated periodically into different positions. If you exceed what is usually a 30-mile-per-hour speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour, you could receive a $50 ticket in the mail. If you exceed the speed limit by more than 30 miles per hour, you'll need to pay a $100 ticket.

Everything hinges on a bill currently sponsored in the Senate by Republican Andrew J. Lanza of Staten Island and a matching bill in the Assembly. The New York City Transportation Department has long favored the passage of a bill like this since so many people die in traffic fatalities every year. During 2011 in New York City, 243 people died in traffic accidents. While this reveals a major reduction in deaths compared to 2001, it's still far higher than any of us should be willing to accept.

Outside Support for Speed Cameras

Other states, including Ohio, Oregon and Louisiana, have already put these types of speed cameras to work, greatly reducing traffic fatalities. Many cities across the nation, including New York City, have been using red light cameras to ticket those who run traffic signals for years, in spite of ongoing opposition from various parties.

Reasonable traffic measures that significantly reduce deaths must always be given serious consideration. According to Washington authorities, since that city began using speed cameras, traffic fatalities have decreased by 56 percent. Surely New York City drivers can adjust to these cameras if this critical legislation is passed.

Opposing Parties May Still Try to Block Speed Cameras

As might be expected, those who make a living driving around New York City often try to oppose new traffic control legislation. As Matt Flegenheimer noted in his recent New York Times article, a number of New York Taxi Workers Alliance members seriously question the need for these new cameras. Some of them believe that this type of legislation is just another means for increasing traffic department revenue.

Although most major metropolitan areas have legitimate reasons for raising revenue to help enforce critical traffic laws, all drivers should favor this type of legislation that's clearly designed to raise safety standards for as many people as possible. After all, as the Times noted recently, "Today, one in 40 drivers speeds." Surely it's time to put safety first and allow personal convenience to fall to a distant second.

Limited Notice to Drivers Can Be Built into These Types of Laws

Since the wisdom of passing this type of speed-camera legislation is almost beyond questioning, New York State legislators will hopefully follow the lead of those in Washington. That city puts drivers on notice, via its website, of every speed camera location.

When efforts are made to put drivers on notice of densely monitored areas, few should be allowed to argue that their driving rights are being seriously infringed upon. Concerned citizens should let their legislators know that they want this type of notice included in this proposed New York law.

New York Auto Accident Lawyers
Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, L.L.P.
122 E. 42nd Street, Suite 3800
New York, NY 10168
Telephone: 212-697-9280
www.nycaccident.com