Palm Beach County Traffic Attorneys Discuss Red-Light Cameras

On Monday, West Palm Beach reportedly began doling out fines to South Florida drivers using their controversial new red-light cameras. The cameras are located at four intersections (Avenue and Belvedere Road, Parker and Summit Boulevard, Australian Avenue and Banyan Boulevard, and at Australian and Belvedere) and a fifth camera, at Australian and 25th Street, will be added soon. The city and its private camera vendor plan to split the $125 fines.

These fines come after several months of “warnings” during which red-light cameras documented over 17,000 “events” and police approved over 5,000 warnings. That warning period began in November of last year and was extended after drivers argued that they had made safe right turns on red and that the camera flashes were distracting.

One West Palm Beach lawyer says the cameras are unconstitutional because they presume guilt and fine the car’s owner rather than the driver who ran the red light. This debate is playing out across the state, and our law firm will be watching with interest for the outcome.

Source: Red-light cameras: Violators in West Palm Beach run risk of fines, Palm Beach Post News, March 1, 2010
Contact a South Florida traffic attorney with questions regarding your legal rights.