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 09, 2014
California Man Sues Insurance Agency Over Camera Ticket Points
Insurance companies make hundreds of millions of dollars from red-light camera tickets in states such as California that impose points on recipients of the automated $500 fines. Each license point represents the potential to collect hundreds of dollars in increased insurance premiums over the course of several years. When California motorist Lawrence E. Armstrong was hit with a massive insurance premium hike over an offense he did not commit, he filed a lawsuit against his insurance company for its misuse of the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) data.
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Virginia Governor Sides With Red-Light Cameras
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) vetoed legislation Monday that passed unanimously in the House of Delegates and 38 to 1 in the state Senate that would have given red-light camera ticket recipients the option of seeking an extra layer of due process.
Monday, April 07, 2014
Hawaii Court Upholds Implied Consent Law
The standard rules for dealing with individuals suspected of committing a crime do not apply to drunk driving cases, Hawaii’s Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled on March 28. Three years ago, the state decided to “crack down” on driving under the influence (DUI) by making it a crime to refuse to take a breathalyzer test. Previously, the offense was punished with the administrative penalty of revoking the individual’s driver’s license.
Sunday, April 06, 2014
France, UK Speed Cameras Sprayed And Burned
Vigilantes in Landes, France spraypainted a trio of speed cameras last week Sunday. Sud Ouest reported that red paint covered the cameras in Laglorieuse on the D30, and on the D934 through Hontanx and Saint-Gein. The devices were within about nine miles of one another.
Friday, April 04, 2014
California Man Takes Red-Light Cameras To US Supreme Court
Of the thousands of petitions for appeal presented to the US Supreme Court each year, less than four percent are accepted for review. Of those accepted, none have ever been about photo enforcement. Howard Herships hopes his constitutional argument against the use of red-light cameras will be the first to make it to the nation’s highest court. Herships appealed after the California Supreme Court turned away his case in December, deciding instead to review two similar case. The California court heard oral arguments in the first case, California v. Goldsmith, on Thursday.
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Ireland: Whistleblower Exposes Faulty Speed Camera Equipment
Speed cameras around the world have been caught issuing citations to thousands of motorists who were not speeding. A camera in Melbourne, Australia issued $26 million in bogus tickets a decade ago. Just last year, one in ten tickets issued in Baltimore, Maryland was based on a faulty speed reading. On Tuesday, the Irish television network RTE One provided insight into one of the causes of unreliable camera readings in Ireland.
