Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon announced Tuesday that he has filed legislation that will not allow New Jersey drivers to be preyed upon by red-light or speed-camera manufacturers that operate in other States. This legislation was modeled after a South Dakota statute that passed both houses and was signed into law by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard this year.
“New Jersey’s red light camera program, mercifully, appears to be headed towards certain death this December – and we already wisely ban speed camera enforcement – but these systems continue to operate in neighboring states where our drivers often commute,” O’Scanlon explained. “These systems have proven to be error-ridden and non-effective so we shouldn’t allow our motorists to be preyed upon when they are outside of our borders. By continuing to share this information – now that the evidence is clear that these systems don’t improve safety – New Jersey would essentially become complicit in the scam. And that’s exactly what these systems are – government sanctioned theft. If you set yellow light times and speed limits based on sound engineering criteria you end up with the safest roadways. You also eliminate the profits in these systems.”
The bill will prohibit the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission from sharing residents’ license plate information with the private companies operating these systems for the purposes of speed-camera and red-light camera citations.
Automated enforcement cameras penalize the owner of the vehicle, not the driver, making it harder for the accused to defend themselves in court. This is especially true in out-of-state jurisdictions. Police in NJ and all other jurisdictions will still be able to use the database for traffic violations – with the exception of speed and red light automated enforcement violations.
“I have no problem with police using the databases for legitimate purposes to ensure our highways are safe nationwide. Automated enforcement has been proven not to be a legitimate tool to improve safety, and I won’t let other states pickpocket our residents.” O’Scanlon said. “I have heard and read about the nightmares of the systems in neighboring states like New York, Pennsylvania and the Baltimore-Washington DC corridor.”
Recent reports have shown that with speed and red-light cameras in neighboring states, some systems had error rates of almost 60%. [TLS]
Why does this make sense? NJ license plate bearers should be ticketed the same way any other driver would be ticketed. Just because they’re from NJ, why does that exempt them from not being able to be ticketed for an illegal traffic action?
GREAT IDEA!!!!!! VOTE THIS GUY IN ANOTHER TERM. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST LAWS WHICH HELP THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND NOT JUST THE POLITICIANS POWER. GOOD JOB!! LET’S HOPE THIS BECOMES LAW. THANK YOU.
To #1
The answer is very simple. If the systems that are in place in other states are faulty and unjust, then the NJMVC won’t allow the other states to access the license plate information of a New Jersey registered car. According to Assemblyman O’Scanlon these systems “have proven to be error-ridden and non-effective”. The elected representatives of our state are there to protect us from illegitimate and unjust practices, whether they are being committed by a private party or public institution. Thank you Assemblyman O’Scanlon for standing up for our residents and for taking a stand against the “highway robbery” that these other states are committing.
To Everybody: Don’t be pup. Obviously #1 is joking. What a ridiculous premise: Just because other States are unfair to their citizens, New jerseans should be unprotected?
This legislation is a no brainer. The Assemblyman should be commended for protecting us from being preyed upon by the unfair and scam-proven practices of companies in other states. I can only feel pity for those citizens in states where their legislators are too scared to stand up against the lobbyists for those companies or even worse – they want to continue robbing their citizens, under color of law, so their government money chest can continue to grow.
Additionally, If I should hear of any NJ legislator that opposes this bill, I will do my best to have him/her permanently unseated. If they refuse to properly represent the citizenry, they don’t belong remaining our legislative representatives.
No, I wasn’t joking! Why should NJ citizens not be allowed to be ticketed for offenses within other states?
Is that such a crazy idea?
I think the idea should go both ways. Motorists with PA, NC and Maryland plates should not be ticketed in New Jersey. New York motorists on the other hand should be fined double (triple for driving in the passing lane) if caught in New Jersey.
Of course no one likes a ticket. But this is a safety measure. Let’s be honest, this is the one area of driving where many of us are in violation, but also where many, chas v’shalom, get into fender benders. We should not try to sneak in a red light even though “we feel” there is time for us. Narcissism and driving do NOT go hand in hand. Be Safe!!!
He is not saying that NJ motorists should not be responsible for their legit traffic violations in NY. He is saying that the tickets from red-light and speed cameras are not real violations since the system is faulty. So the state will not assist in issuing these tickets. If NJ doesn’t pass on the driver’s information, NY can’t issue the ticket.
Absolute hypocrisy!
He believes that at the end of the year red light cameras will no longer be legal in New Jersey. In the interim New Jersey is ticketing out of state drivers on active NJ red light cameras and obtaining plate information from out of state motor vehicle departments. O’Scanlon tolerates NJ government sanction theft of out of state drivers in the interim as he predicts an end of the red light camera program, but would like to put an immediate end to out of state government sanctioned theft on NJ drivers.
During the past year, I have received a camera speeding ticket in Maryland, a red light camera ticket in New York, and a bus lane camera ticket in New York. It’s good to be aware of the local cameras. I’d be relieved if NJ stops sharing information, but don’t believe in the hypocrisy; it should go both ways.
The problem with the cameras, is that government is just too greedy. the companies that install and make most of the money off the tickets, spend millions lobbying politicians to install them. – it has caused many short stops and hasn’t proven to reduce accidents. – if they weren’t greedy then they would have set it to take the picture 2 seconds after it’s red. but they played games, they made a very short yellow and immediatly turn red, and if you were in the intersection you were nailed. this is what got them cooked. because it was more about money then safety. we have enough laws taking our money we don’t need more.