The Use Of Traffic Cameras In South Africa
In South Africa, traffic cameras are commonly used to catch drivers who speed, run red lights, and commit other traffic law violations. These cameras work by taking a picture of the vehicle with the identifying information visible. This includes the registration number of the car. When a violation is captured, the vehicle is traced to the owner and a infringement notice is issued. The law is very clear on the time allowed to send out this notice, and any infringement notice must be sent within thirty days of the date that the traffic violation was committed and captured by the traffic cameras. There have been some scandals over this factor, and some traffic departments have been accused of changing the date of the violation because the notice was not sent out within the required thirty days. Fines which are assessed based on photos from traffic cameras can be contested in court if the driver believes that there has been a mistake, and every driver who is assessed a fine based on camera evidence has a right to examine a photo of the traffic violation.
Are Traffic Cameras Ever Wrong?
Many people argue that since traffic cameras use a computer, and they provide photographic evidence, that these cameras are never wrong. This is not true, and a computer is only as good as the data which is entered. There have been numerous cases of mistakes and errors concerning traffic cameras. One driver received a traffic ticket and fine based on a picture of her car going over the speed limit. The only problem was that her vehicle was wrecked the week before the violation and was still being repaired at the time. When the photo was viewed her car could clearly be seen in the picture, only it was attached to the tow truck which was towing it. One glance at the photo was enough to know that the car was not being towed, the owner of the car had committed no traffic violations, and that the tow truck driver was the one guilty of speeding in front of the traffic cameras. It took five attempts to finally clear up this mistake, which was glaringly obvious. False or stolen plates are other areas where mistakes can be made frequently. The traffic cameras do not compare the vehicle which was photographed with the plate to the registered vehicle type of the owner. One man received a speeding ticket, along with the photo from the traffic camera showing his new pickup truck with the plate on it. The problem was the plate was registered to a farm tractor that had not been used for a few years and would not even start.
Traffic Cameras, Fines, And When To Fight Them
Traffic cameras can be a great traffic law enforcement tool, but they can make mistakes, and so can the people who enter or interpret the information and photos provided by these cameras. Knowing when to fight mistaken traffic fines is important. There are some things that the photograph from the traffic cameras can include or exclude which would make the fine improper or illegal, and cause it to be dismissed in court. If the photo includes more than one vehicle, it is not possible to determine which vehicle committed the violation, so there would be no way to determine which driver was guilty and responsible for the fine. If the vehicle in the photograph can not be clearly identified by the driver as belonging to them, such as missing plate numbers, a blurry or streaky picture which obscures relevant details of the vehicle, the wrong color or make of vehicle, or other important aspects, then the fine should be contested and a court appearance or hearing should be requested.
Are Traffic Cameras Effective At Improving Safety?
Do traffic cameras really work at improving the safety of the roads and the drivers, or are they simply a scam to generate revenue for the various traffic departments in South Africa? There are arguments for both theories, and in many countries the goal of traffic cameras or traffic enforcement is to increase the traffic safety while catching and fining those who violate the traffic laws. Traffic cameras can be utilized to do both, and in South Africa many drivers are used to frequent infringement notices concerning traffic cameras and fines. Many drivers claim that the traffic cameras in South Africa are frequently placed in secretive and well hidden locations, to prevent drivers from detecting the speed trap or other traffic enforcement effort. This fact does detract from the argument that traffic cameras are highly visible and cause drivers to drive safer and more cautiously. Most drivers are not aware of the penalty for breaking the traffic laws until weeks later, so there is no incentive to drive safer. Traffic cameras may be effective at improving traffic safety when they are well marked and clearly located, but when they are hidden their effectiveness at improving traffic safety goes down.
Sources:
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=13&set_id=1&art_id=vn20061202084353709C544266
http://www.arrivealive.co.za/pages.aspx?i=2764
http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Traffic-Enfarcement-Camera.aspx
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/12/1269.asp
