Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
Georgia Supreme Court Questions Implied Consent Law
Georgia’s implied consent law may not be around much longer. On Friday, a unanimous state Supreme Court laid the groundwork for a future ruling that could effectively nullify the statute that imposes automatic punishment on motorists who refuse to provide a blood sample or breath test upon demand. The implied consent law helps police investigate drunk driving (DUI) cases by allowing what are considered searches under the Fourth Amendment to take place without a search warrant.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Gemany Italy, UK: Speed Cameras Oiled, Painted, Exploded
Vigilantes set fire to a speed camera in Minsterworth, England on March 20. According to the Gloucester Citizen newspaper, the automated ticketing machine on the A48 only suffered cosmetic damage, and the blaze was extinguished by 9 pm. In Wisbech, the Wisbech Standard reported that a man was injured by a speed camera warning sign. Jim McDonald had been walking on a path when he was forced to dodge a cyclist. Because the sign is mounted too low, he cut his head on the sign, which is covered in green mold.
Monday, March 30, 2015
Tennessee Lawmakers Water Down Traffic Camera Ban
The “Tennessee Freedom From Traffic Cameras Act” will not be doing as much to protect motorists from predatory enforcement as the title might suggest. Defenders of the lucrative automated enforcement industry took to the state capitol last week to ensure friendly leislators would vote for amendments taking away the bill’s bite. The bill, as introduced, predicted this outcome in its preamble.
Friday, March 27, 2015
US Supreme Court Weighs Need For Specialty Plates
The US Supreme Court will decide whether states have the right to decide what gets printed on a license plate. In oral arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with the question of whether the expression on a license plate — in this case, a Confederate flag — is the government’s speech, or the motorist’s speech, which is protected by the First Amendment. The court’s answer could eliminate personalized license plates entirely.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
California: Longer Yellows Cut Violations In Half
Cities frequently cite reductions in accidents at red-light camera intersections as evidence that the devices are a valuable public safety tool. Behind the scenes, however, jurisdictions often implement engineering improvements that can have a big impact and are actually responsible for those numbers. Evidence for this can be found in Santa Clarita, California where the city council decided Tuesday to drop red-light cameras in a 3 to 2 vote.
