Traffic cams are becoming more common around the country. Like police traffic stops, they help officials enforce road laws and hold drivers accountable for infractions. However, many people are apprehensive about this new technology. In particular, some wonder about their accuracy and if they could end up with citations when perhaps they shouldn’t. Luckily, two traffic court attorneys recently highlighted three things drivers should know about the cameras and what to do if they get a red light ticket. 

What to know about traffic cams and how to handle a red light ticket

Traffic cams are new for most drivers. Naturally, this means they have questions about how to handle getting a red light ticket. According to ABC 15 Arizona, traffic court lawyers recently weighed in on what drivers need to know. Notably, these attorneys are from Arizona. This means readers should check their local laws to be sure the advice applies. 

The first advice about traffic cams is that the red light ticket you receive in the mail may not be an actual citation. According to Christopher Corso, “It looks like a ticket, a real-life ticket, but it’s not. That’s just their way of trying to get you to pay it, take the class, address it, call the court. But you have the right to be formally served.”

Another traffic court attorney, Candy Maruffo, also says a red light ticket could have additional penalties that a regular citation would not. This means paying the fine may not be the end of the situation. She says, “It[speeding] actually comes with two points on your license, traffic survival school, which is an eight-hour class you have to do and pay for, in addition to whatever fine you pay.”

The last thing these attorneys want drivers to know about traffic cams is that the state must prove who the driver was. Of course, there are situations that can make this endeavor challenging. According to Christopher Corso, “If it wasn’t you, you can nominate who it was, and say, ‘this was the person driving.'” Notably, paying for the ticket when you weren’t the person driving can have other consequences, as there may be other situations beyond the fee. 

Traffic cams have proven successful around the country. However, drivers need to understand their rights. As mentioned, some of the advice from these lawyers may not apply everywhere, which means readers should familiarize themselves with their local laws surrounding getting a red light ticket. Of course, most places around the country still rely on traditional police traffic stops.