NMA Driving News

Missouri: Kansas City Council renews red-light camera contract

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:21:16 -0500

Missouri: Kansas City Council renews red-light camera contract :

The Kansas City Council on Thursday unanimously approved another five-year contract with American Traffic Solutions, the city’s red-light camera vendor. Nearly 191,000 tickets have been issued since the first camera was installed in early 2009. The vendor gets $1.6 million per year and the city has netted about $2 million per year in fine revenue since the program began.

Wisconsin: State Patrol to use aerial speed traps

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:16:26 -0500

Wisconsin: State Patrol to use aerial speed traps:

The State Patrol is stepping up its use of airplanes to catch speeders on Wisconsin highways. The practice used to be a lot more common than in recent years, when it was scaled back due to tight budgets. Four planes and a dozen pilots will be in the air this summer.

Wisconsin: Appeals Court shuts down speeding ticket defenses

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:12:49 -0500

Wisconsin: Appeals Court shuts down speeding ticket defenses:

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals on Thursday decided to shut down a motorist who won and a motorist who lost a speeding ticket case in a circuit court. The appellate judges ruled, in effect, that the validity of a speed limit can never be challenged and there is never a valid excuse for violating the limit other than saying a police officer made you do it.

New York: Drivers could plea bargain traffic tickets in Buffalo

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:08:22 -0500

New York: Drivers could plea bargain traffic tickets in Buffalo:

An effort to save drivers money on their traffic tickets, while boosting Buffalo city revenue is underway in Albany. Drivers in Buffalo don’t have the right to plea bargain these tickets. But, under a bill being debated in Albany, drivers would be able to do this if they’re stopped in the city.

Illinois: House approves raising interstate speed limit to 70

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:55:19 -0500

Illinois: House approves raising interstate speed limit to 70 :

The Illinois House Wednesday voted to raise interstate and tollway speed limits to 70 mph. Suburban counties would be allowed to opt out of the higher limit. After a 85-30 vote, the plan — which has already been approved in the Senate — moves to Gov. Pat Quinn for final review.

Tips for driving in a roundabout

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:41:51 -0500

Tips for driving in a roundabout:

We all know it’s true: Americans aren’t fond of roundabouts. In fact, a new survey says 93 percent of Americans would rather stub their toe on furniture in the middle of the night when trying to locate the bathroom than drive through a roundabout.

Flawed surveys distort public opinion on red-light cameras

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:35:02 -0500

Flawed surveys distort public opinion on red-light cameras:

Plagued by scandal (1), gross mismanagement (2), and financial setbacks (3), purveyors of red-light camera systems and their supporters continue to misrepresent public opinion on automated traffic ticketing schemes. That’s the conclusion of the National Motorists Association after reviewing the latest red-light camera public polling results released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Ohio: Cleveland to add 26 new traffic cameras

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:29:42 -0500

Ohio: Cleveland to add 26 new traffic cameras:

The Cleveland City Council gave the ‘green light’ to more than double the number of red-light and speed cameras in the city. Right now there are 23. Monday night, council members voted to install 26 more. According to the mayor’s office, in 2012, the cameras brought in nearly six million dollars, about one-percent of the city’s annual budget.

Illinois: State Farm seeks motorists to test driving habits tracking app

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:26:10 -0500

Illinois: State Farm seeks motorists to test driving habits tracking app:

Bloomington, IL based State Farm Insurance is looking for drivers to help beta test their new RightLane smartphone app, which tracks a user’s driving behavior. The insurance company is offering the first 5000 people to sign up and participate a $50 Visa gift card. But will motorists enjoy having their auto insurance company tracking their driving behavior?

Maryland: State board finds speed camera task force violated open-meetings act

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:20:26 -0500

Maryland: State board finds speed camera task force violated open-meetings act:

A task force appointed last year to study the city’s speed and red-light camera program violated Maryland law when it met behind closed doors in March, the state Open Meetings Compliance Board ruled this week. The task force also violated the open-meetings law by not giving reasonable advance notice of meetings and by failing to take proper minutes, the board said in the ruling published Monday.

New York: Shocking NYC ticket blitz: $115 fines for what was legal minutes before

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:43:23 -0500

New York: Shocking NYC ticket blitz: $115 fines for what was legal minutes before:

Nobody likes getting a parking ticket. But it’s especially infuriating when the rules are changed right before your eyes. A city transportation crew changed “alternate side, Monday and Thursday” signs to “No Standing Anytime.” Then, within 25 minutes of the signs going up, traffic agents were swiping registration stickers and issuing tickets to cars parked there.

Florida: Daytona attorney challenges traffic ticket for "impolitely" honking car horn

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:38:19 -0500

Florida: Daytona attorney challenges traffic ticket for "impolitely" honking car horn:

A DeLand police officer told a driver it was his “lucky day” and offered him a warning rather than a citation. But the driver demanded the traffic fine. When a traffic hearing was held weeks later, the officer didn’t show. Now, the driver is fighting to drag the cop into court to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for skipping the hearing. This wasn’t your typical traffic stop.

Alabama: City told traffic camera violators to appeal to non-existent court

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:30:00 -0500

Alabama: City told traffic camera violators to appeal to non-existent court:

Residents of Center Point, Alabama, who received citations as a result of a new traffic-camera system were told they could appeal their tickets in court. But there was a catch: it turned out there was no court to hear such cases.

Tennessee: Red Bank is doing fine without traffic cameras

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:40:14 -0500

Tennessee: Red Bank is doing fine without traffic cameras :

Four months after Red Bank’s traffic cameras were removed, city officials say they aren’t missed.

Gas tax on mileage shatters right to privacy

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:48:36 -0500

Gas tax on mileage shatters right to privacy :

The idea of a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax is being discussed — and actually tested in states like Oregon and Iowa. It would be an alternative to the federal gas tax, which is under review by Congress and could lead to a new system for funding highway construction and repairs when the measure comes up for reauthorization in 2014.

Tennessee: Use of red-light cameras debated in Murfreesboro

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:26:05 -0500

Tennessee: Use of red-light cameras debated in Murfreesboro:

A group in Murfreesboro has started a petition to end the use of red-light cameras, but police say the traffic enforcement measure has improved safety. The group complains that the city uses the cameras to “shake down motorist for violations.”

Maryland: Behind the scenes of a decision to shut down Baltimore speed cameras

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:22:08 -0500

Maryland: Behind the scenes of a decision to shut down Baltimore speed cameras :

Emails, provided by the city in response to a Public Information Act request, offer a glimpse at how transportation officials made a major decision about a controversial program that has caused recurring headaches for the city and many motorists.

Maryland: Baltimore denies speed camera cover up

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:15:07 -0500

Maryland: Baltimore denies speed camera cover up:

Earlier this month, the city of Baltimore, Maryland told the state’s Open Meetings Compliance Board that it was keeping meetings of the city’s speed camera task force secret, in violation of state law. Assistant City Solicitor Hilary Ruley provided screenshots to show that announcements were placed somewhere on the website at some point for a pair of meetings.

Florida: County still seeking removal of red-light cameras

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:21:27 -0500

Florida: County still seeking removal of red-light cameras:

The county is moving forward with plans to disable the city of Brooksville’s two red-light cameras on county-owned property and the matter is in the hands of the legal office. The county commissioner leading the charge on the camera removal, said the process may be lengthy and called it similar to getting a tenant evicted from a home. It takes time and the necessary legalities must be addressed to prevent future problems.

How to beat a speeding ticket (or at least make it matter less)

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:16:22 -0500

How to beat a speeding ticket (or at least make it matter less):

A moving violation can cost you more than $1,000 in fines and higher auto insurance premiums, but here’s some advice that’s just the ticket for minimizing the damage to your wallet. Read these five tips on how to beat tickets or at least avoid the higher insurance rates moving violations often entail.