Perhaps you’ve traveled by car to Arizona or California. You’re approaching an intersection and the light turns yellow. You have a choice, lock them up and stop, or go on through. You decide rather than smoke your tires you will proceed. The light turns red and while going through the intersection you see flashes of light and, too late, you see a camera in the corner of the intersection.
A few weeks later, you receive a postcard with a photo of your car showing the license number, and you at the wheel. The card is demanding a fine of several hundred dollars be paid for running the red light. Also, points will be imposed on your driving record. No judge, no accuser, just a camera and the unfortunate timing of going through the intersection at the change of the light cycle.
Neighboring States Use the Technology
You’ll notice in Arizona that not only are cameras used for red light running but also to track speed. The same results if you’re tagged by a speed camera, the postcard, the fine and points. You ask yourself, can this be legal?
You wonder how many places have such devices and whether you need to worry about them while driving around Las Vegas or other places in Nevada. The good news, for now, is that Nevada doesn’t have these devices in place. The controversial practice of subjecting citizens to court action by use of an unattended camera is currently not allowed under Nevada law.
Nevada Law on use of Cameras
In fact, current Nevada law (NRS 484A.600) prohibits the use of imaging equipment for gathering evidence for a traffic citation, unless handheld by an officer, or mounted in a vehicle or facility of a law enforcement agency.
This gets confusing, because when you do an internet search, of say “Red Light Cameras in Las Vegas”, you’ll get a list of four cameras around Las Vegas, showing the intersections where they’re located, with accompanying fine information of $600. You’ll notice however, the information is questionable as three of the fours cameras are listed twice, with poor spelling of the street names.
This information is either dated or intentionally incorrect in order for the site to increase rank on search engines. The state or local authorities have mounted red light cameras around the valley on occasion to test the technology, but state law forbids its use as a means of gathering evidence.
Red Light Running Common in Las Vegas
While the Nevada legislature has been slow to adopt this technology for traffic enforcement, this could change. An article published by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in October 2015, lists Las Vegas as the fourth red light running-est city in the U.S., exceeded only by Houston, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. As public pressure builds due to dangers associated with red light runners who cause accidents, the legislature could be pressured to change their stand. But for now, there are no photographic systems in place for traffic enforcement in the state.
Stay tuned; Ticket Busters will let you know if this changes.
Ticket Busters is here to help
If you have received a ticket in Clark County, for a moving violation, we can help. Call Ticket Busters today. Your speeding ticket can be reduced to a parking violation, and in most cases, the fine can be reduced, and points won’t be assessed to your driving record. Call us today at (702) 666-6666.
