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 22, 2015
US Supreme Court Limits Drug Dog Use In Traffic Stops
Police may not drag out a traffic stop just to give a drug dog extra time to sniff a vehicle. Tuesday’s US Supreme Court decision rolled back lower court precedents that have afforded law enforcement greater flexibility in performing warrantless searches. Here, some of the court’s most liberal justices joined with conservatives in tightening the rules.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Federal Judge Finds No Injury From Redflex Bribery
Motorists in Chicago, Illinois cannot cite the federal bribery charges against top Redflex officials as a way to get out of paying a red-light camera ticket. US District Court Judge Amy J. St. Eve came to that tentative conclusion earlier this month after Matthew G. Falkner challenged the automated ticket he received in the mail based on a photograph of his Infiniti taken on January 19, 2013. Falkner argued that paying the fine would reward the illegal activities of Redflex.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Australia, Italy: Speed Cameras Disabled
Vigilantes used black spraypaint to disable a speed camera in Western Australia on Thursday. According to the Perth Sunday Times, the automated ticketing machine on the Kwinana Freeway in Murdoch had its lens painted over and graffiti scrawled on its side.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Virginia: Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Toll Road Abuse
Motorists hit by massive fines on Virginia’s toll roads filed suit in federal court Wednesday against the Australian company responsible for collecting the levies. Mary Elise Pizarro, a driver from Alexandria, accuses Transurban of imposing $9440 in fines when her E-Z Pass transponder failed to register $20 in tolls on the Interstate 495 high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, due to no fault of her own.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Idaho Limits Forced Blood Draws From Motorists
If a motorist withdraws his consent to a blood test, a police officer may not take it by force under a ruling last week by the Idaho Court of Appeals. A divided three-judge panel decided that the blood evidence used against Brant Lee Eversole should have been suppressed.
