Red light cameras are being used with increasing frequency in larger cities across the United States and around the world as well. While the main purpose of these traffic cameras is to catch drivers running red lights, there are some that also are used to ticket speeders. Many drivers are uncertain what a camera ticket can mean for their insurance rates and concerned because a registered owner is not always the driver of a vehicle.
The Violation and Its Penalty
After consulting the website of several cities that are employing the use of cameras to ticket drivers running red lights, it became clear that these violations are considered civil violations and not criminal ones. Fines vary from city to city. The fine in Alpharetta, GA is $70, while the fee in Washington, DC is $75. If you run a red light where they have cameras in operation, you will receive a ticket in the mail and be informed of the amount and how to remit it.
Insurance Implications
Camera tickets are similar to parking tickets and are not reported to your insurance company, and therefore no points are assessed to your driving record and your insurance rate is not affected. The Arlington, Texas Police Department website even states that the red light tickets require no identification of the driver, just like a parking ticket. No identification means your insurance company won’t even know if it was you or not driving the car. However, there are times when you come across other fines that are reflected in your driving record. In such cases, your insurance company will get notified of this as well. You can read about the penalties and regulations about how insurance companies deal with such incidents on https://www.410injury.com/.
Future Possibilities
Photo enforcement of traffic violations may lead to future developments that further monitor and penalize drivers who are not following traffic laws. An article published by Fox News detailed a proposal put forth in Chicago that would allow the city to use red-light cameras to not only ticket red-light runners but also to identify motorists who are driving uninsured. According to the same article, officials in Washington, DC expressed a willingness to consider something similar there. This could become a situation that would take camera tickets to a place where they would affect your insurance. If you are identified as someone who is driving without insurance, it could result in increased rates when you do get insurance for yourself, depending on the policy of the insurance company you choose to use.
Red Light Cameras Worldwide
Drivers in Toronto who are ticketed by a red light camera receive no demerit points; whereas those ticketed by a police officer receive not only a ticket but three demerit points. In the UK, a traffic light camera ticket results in a fine and penalty points also.
In general, red light camera tickets in the United States have no adverse effects on your car insurance rates; but that may not always be the case as technology and laws evolve surrounding this relatively new traffic enforcement technique.