Last year, the state of Arizona became the first state to use speed cameras on highways in an effort to prevent car accidents that are caused by speeding.  But after efforts by Arizona citizens to ban the cameras, soon all of the speed cameras could be removed.

“I see all the cameras in Arizona completely coming down,” said the chairman of Arizona Citizens Against Photo Radar.  “The citizens of Arizona took away the cash cow of Arizona by refusing to pay.”

Our car accident attorneys are a little disappointed the method taken by the state of Arizona didn’t work out as they planned.  Speeding causes thousands of car accidents every year that cause personal injury and wrongful death.  Going too fast on a street or a highway cuts reaction time, and if you have to make a quick move to avoid a car accident, you have less time to save yourself.

When you’re out driving, there really is no need to go excessively fast.  Being a little late for something is okay if it means you can prevent a car accident by doing so.

There are supporters for the use of speed cameras because they say the cameras slow down drivers and reduce car accidents, but the non-supporters argue they’re intrusive and are more about making money, not safety.  Some people show their disapproval by vandalizing them with sticky pad notes or Silly String.

A photo enforcement district commander for the Department of Public Safety believes the focus of citizens is misplaced.

“Instead of spending so much time focusing on getting rid of cameras, why don’t they focus on the real problem, the root problem, which is getting people to drive the speed limit?  If everyone was to drive the speed limit, the cameras would never flash.”

Speed cameras in Arizona led to over 700,000 tickets issued to drivers going more than 11 miles per hour or more over the speed limit from September 2008 to September 2009.  The problem is that people who get those tickets either fight them in court or ignore them all together — because drivers know they have a good shot at ignoring.

Our car accident attorneys believe that the cameras are a good idea because they get drivers to drive at posted speed limits and not exceed that limit.  Rather than express anger at the state of Arizona, citizens should do more to obey speed limit laws.  The district commander is right.  If you go the speed limit, the cameras won’t flash, and you have nothing to worry about.

Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585.   Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review.  No fee if no recovery.