In small Ohio towns, there are speed enforcements strategies which are attracting a lot of negative reactions; however this is for a good reason.
On Tuesday, the Today in Ohio podcast spotlighted one such case in Lake County and showed a recent win for motorists.
Charging Drivers to Defend Themselves
Drivers in Willoughby Hills that were caught on traffic cameras were not just given a fine for speeding, but also a fine for trying to contest it. This town requires individuals who dispute a speed camera fine, to pay a $25 fee before their case even be considered.
This is something to think about, you have to pay first for a chance to explain that you might not owe anything all.
Leila Atassi, speaking on the podcast, called it “a literal price tag on due process.” The Institute for Justice (IJ) which is a nonprofit law firm and civil liberties organization which is based in Virginia also agreed with this. They put a label on this practice calling it unconstitutional. IJ highlighted that nobody should pay to prove that they are innocent.
A Barrier to Justice
It is important to note that speeding tickets usually cost approximately $150 to $200. There are many drivers who decided it wasn’t worth paying $25 just to contest them even if they believe they were wrongfully accused. The result? More uncontested tickets and steady cash flowing into the town budget.
Watchdog Group Forces Change
In Willoughby Hills, the situation then changed after the IJ sent out a warning letter. Local officials in area thereafter suspended the contest fee.
However, this problem did not occur in isolation. As per the podcast, there were several other towns in Northeast Ohio that had similar procedures in place. All thanks to the watchdog group’s intervention, such fees were also pushed back.
A Long-Running Game with Lawmakers
There is a lot of tension in Ohio with lawmakers and the speed camera towns. Over the last few years the state has passed rules to mitigate ticketing that was meant to generate revenue other than from the actual ticket.
Yet, as Quinn pointed out, “I give the legislature a lot of credit for trying to stop this,” he said, “but it keeps happening.”
Gates Mills and the Downhill Camera
This podcast also highlighted another example. A speed camera is placed at the base of a steep incline on Mayfield Road close to the Chagrin River in Gates Mills. The camera captures drivers going over the speed limit because cars naturally accelerate when going downhill. “If this is really about safety,” Quinn argued, “you’d have signs warning drivers: ‘Watch your speed downhill.’ Instead, they just nail people and rake in the money.”
Bigger Questions About Funding and Fairness
All of these issues underline a greater issue about municipalities actually operate and fund themselves. This raises many questions about how small towns operate, do they proceed with unconstitutional practices? What exactly happens to all the money? Etc.
Quinn had a strong opinion: “They should have to pay it back with interest. They charge interest when people don’t pay their fines on time, I bet. They should have to pay it back with interest.”
Moving Toward Solutions
The cycle of speed trap schemes continues even though some unconstitutional policies have been shut down. Critics fear that towns will continue to find gaps as long as there is a financial incentive.
The hosts of Today in Ohio, emphasised the necessity of more transparent traffic enforcement, stricter oversight, and reforms that put road safety ahead of local revenue.
Drivers can be hopeful that in future, this changes and is more inclusive of individuals circumstances as not everyone would be able to pay a contest fee.