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[Duke87]

So this sort of snuck by with little fanfare, but a state rep from New Haven managed to slip a provision in the state's annual budget bill that will have CT joining the club of states with revenue generation cameras next year: https://www.wtnh.com/news/politics/ct-work-zone-speed-traps-set-to-begin-summer-2022-pilot-program-raising-eyebrows/

For now it's just a pilot program that is set to expire at the end of 2023, will only allow the use of up to 3 cameras at once, only in freeway work zones, and only ticketing anyone who is going 15 or more over the posted work zone limit. Like in next door NY, the vehicle owner will be legally liable so "I wasn't the one driving" will not be a valid defense.

There is no fine the first time you get caught (!), just a written warning, however getting caught a second time will be a $75 fine and getting caught any subsequent times after that will be a $150 fine. No points, no effect on insurance.


Will be interesting to see how this goes. While a very small and limited program, it was snuck through without any particular debate on the program itself and even though this was signed into law in July the media only seems to have noticed it's a thing within the past week (further demonstrating how it was, well, snuck through). It is worth noting that numerous previous attempts to introduce automated enforcement to CT by more above the table legislative practices have all failed, including earlier this very year as part of "safe streets" legislation.

Also of note, and not really surprising: the state police are NOT pleased at this at all. They've long viewed automated enforcement as taking their jobs away from them, which is part of why it has until now not successfully made it anywhere.

[MASTERNC]

Sounds like Pennsylvania's program, except that the threshold for a ticket is higher than PA (11 MPH over).  It's almost impossible to miss the cameras, and they can only be used when workers are present, so it's not really a gotcha (unlike Maryland).

[Rothman]

NY's starting one, too.  They're spreading like a virus.

[jp the roadgeek]

And with car thefts becoming an epidemic, car owners now have to deal with being guilty until proven innocent if a car thief gets caught, which goes against everything the law stands for.  Seems the burden of proof would be on the victim whose car was stolen, as they would have to take a day off from work to go to court to prove their innocence.  In addition, it will probably cost more to run than it will generate in revenue, as it means having to hire more court workers in an already bloated state government with courts absolutely backlogged from Covid shutdowns.   

[jamess]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

[vdeane]

NY's starting one, too.  They're spreading like a virus.

I wonder what NY's threshold is.  The "school" speed cameras in NYC are allegedly for more than 10 mph over, and I would assume that would be the same for the work zone speed cameras, but I don't recall reading such specifically.

[MASTERNC]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

[jeffandnicole]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

[abqtraveler]

NY's starting one, too.  They're spreading like a virus.

After they removed red light cameras about 10 years ago, the City of Albuquerque is bringing back speed vans. Same concept, speeders will be hit with a civil fine that doesn't count against their driving record. But Albuquerque's speed enforcement program will be citywide, both in and out of construction zones.

[MikeCL]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

I saw so many flashes in work zones at night

[MikeCL]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

[jeffandnicole]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

11 over.

[MASTERNC]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

11 over.

It's 12 over in Maryland and 11 over in Pennsylvania to trigger a violation

[SectorZ]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

11 over.

It's 12 over in Maryland and 11 over in Pennsylvania to trigger a violation

I'm curious how these states can prove calibration on these, compared to an officer that has to testify to daily calibration he/she confirms with their own radar guns. I am betting calibration doesn't happen much, if at all.

That and your rights being stripped to proving you as the owner weren't behind the wheel.

[MASTERNC]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

11 over.

It's 12 over in Maryland and 11 over in Pennsylvania to trigger a violation

I'm curious how these states can prove calibration on these, compared to an officer that has to testify to daily calibration he/she confirms with their own radar guns. I am betting calibration doesn't happen much, if at all.

That and your rights being stripped to proving you as the owner weren't behind the wheel.

Maryland posts calibration certificates from a third party on its website

https://www.safezones.maryland.gov/certificates.html

[jeffandnicole]

Sounds way, way too lenient. Unfortunately, we coddle the worst drivers way too much.

Better than popping everyone with $40 fines like Maryland - seems more like a high volume money grab

If you're doing 76 in a 65 mph work zone with at least 2 sets of signs saying Camera Enforced, and at least 1 or 2 displays showing your speed before you get to the camera, then you should be fortunate it's only a $40 summons.

So 10 mph over is enough to trigger the camera?

11 over.

It's 12 over in Maryland and 11 over in Pennsylvania to trigger a violation

I'm curious how these states can prove calibration on these, compared to an officer that has to testify to daily calibration he/she confirms with their own radar guns. I am betting calibration doesn't happen much, if at all.

That and your rights being stripped to proving you as the owner weren't behind the wheel.

Maryland posts calibration certificates from a third party on its website

https://www.safezones.maryland.gov/certificates.html

It's also a flat $40 violation, so if it's off by 5 mph or whatever, you're still speeding and it's still the same fine. If you can prove that the calibration was off by 12 mph or more, that's a significant deviation. I suspect the recording is video, so they can view that video and determine your speed over a certain distance as well.

The ticket isn't impacting your insurance or driver rating, so proof isn't needed.