Red Light Reports: Longer Yellow Option & Another Lawsuit
Tennessee legislators may follow the lead of their Georgia counterparts, who in 2008 passed a law requiring an extra second of yellow time for traffic lights equipped with cameras, reports Andy Sher. After the extra second took effect, the number of violators caught by the cameras plummeted and many local governments abandoned use of the devices.
Rep. Joe McCord, R-Maryville, says the Georgia law "disincentivized" use of the devices by reducing the revenue cities were collecting from the tickets. He says the extra yellow second law is an option for Tennessee legislators who oppose the red light cameras. The House Transportation Committee holds another round of hearings on red light cameras this week.
In Clarksville, a legal action has been filed contending that red light cameras violate the state’s law on private investigators, reports the Leaf Chronicle. The move revolves around plans to use photos taken by a camera as evidence against two motorists who allegedly ran through a red light.
The motorists’ lawyer argued that the private company, contracting with the City of Clarksville to operate the cameras, was effectively operating as private investigators without being licensed as required by state law. The photos thus should be excluded as evidence in court
The City of Clarksville argues that, even if the company did violate the private investigator statute, the photos can still be used as evidence.
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