Photo Cops: Should Minnesota Look At Them Again?

A couple of years ago, there were a number of intersections in Minneapolis where photocops were on the alert. Basically, camera’s that took pictures , to later ticket, people who ran red lights. There were a number of tickets that were later thrown out after the Minnesota Courts concluded that there was no way to verify who the driver was and that it was a violation of a requirement to have uniformed traffic laws through out the state.

The thing is, that accidents dropped down 31% during the time they were used, which means that their real benefit may not have been who they caught , but who they stopped. Did people really think twice about running lights when they saw the cameras there? They must have.

Presently, the legislature is again looking at the issue and will be debating the safety savings verses the potential of charging the wrong person. The bill would allow different areas, whether by size or location, to implement the camera. Seems like more thought should be given to why people were more careful. Maybe nothing else but that say STOP AT RED LIGHTS, might make a difference. Seems like the key is awareness.