Lawmakers are putting more cameras on the roadside to catch drivers who slip up.

Speed cameras and red-light cameras now watch drivers in hundreds of communities.

But critics say there’s a bigger problem with this approach. The cameras turn everyday driving mistakes into tickets, fines and another hit to drivers’ wallets.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says road safety should come first. The goal should be safer traffic and fewer crashes – not a steady stream of tickets.

Despite the pushback, states keep expanding automated enforcement. Others are starting to hit the brakes.

California

A bill headed to the governor could put speed cameras on more of California’s roads.

Gov. Gavin Newsom opened the door in 2023. He signed a law allowing speed cameras in some large cities.

Six cities, from San Francisco to Long Beach, were allowed to use them.

The cameras can target safety corridors. Those include areas with frequent crashes, street racing and school zones.

Freeways and expressways remain off-limits.

Lawmakers expanded the program a year later. Malibu got permission for up to five speed cameras along 21 miles of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Long Beach can use up to 18 cameras. But one eight-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway was still off-limits.

Now, lawmakers want to change that. The Assembly voted on Monday, Aug. 24, to approve SB1279.

The bill would let Long Beach put two speed cameras on that stretch. Drivers caught speeding would face bigger fines as their speed increases.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, said the cameras could help make the roads safer.

She pointed to the eight-mile stretch as a major trouble spot. More than 30% of Long Beach’s speeding-related deaths happen there.

“By adding this corridor to California’s speed safety camera pilot program, SB1279 will give Long Beach another proven tool to reduce dangerous speeding, make our streets safer and save lives,” Gonzalez said.

But not everyone is buying it.

The National Motorist Association disputes the safety argument. The group says the fatality numbers alone do not prove speeding is the main problem on the highway.

Massachusetts

Two Massachusetts bills could put ticket cameras on the roads.

H3754 would let cities and towns use speed cameras and red-light cameras.

The cameras could go on local roads or state highways. State approval would be needed for cameras on state roads. Drivers caught going at least 11 mph over the limit could face fines from $25 to $100.

Cities could use ticket revenue only to run and maintain the camera systems. Any extra money would go to the state.

The Boston City Council supports the bill. Boston cannot use ticket cameras under current state law.

Council members say cameras could provide steady enforcement. They could also free police officers to handle emergencies and other public safety calls.

A second bill, H3660, takes aim at speeding in work zones.

The bill would allow speed cameras in work zones. Drivers going at least 15 mph over the limit could get a ticket.

There’s one key rule: Workers must be on the job when the ticket is issued.

Violators would also face double speeding fines.

Arizona

Arizona lawmakers are putting automated enforcement in voters’ hands.

A proposed constitutional amendment would require local voter approval for speed and red-light cameras.

Existing programs could continue for now. But voters would decide whether they stay. Approved programs would last 10 years. Then voters would get another say.

The question heads to the November ballot. It is Proposition 319.

Maryland

Maryland is expanding its speed camera reach.

A new law allows cameras on highway sections labeled “safety corridors.”

These are areas the State Highway Administration considers especially dangerous.

Local governments can install cameras, too. The rules are similar to those used in work zones.

Fines range from $40 to $425. The faster you drive, the harder the hit.

Virginia

Virginia is collecting big money from speed cameras.

Law enforcement brought in $54 million in 2025. The amount is more than $20 million above the year before.

Virginia first allowed speed cameras six years ago. Lawmakers have since expanded them to work zones and school zones.

Drivers going more than 10 mph over the limit can get a ticket worth up to $100. Warning signs are required within 1,000 feet of each camera.

New rules now put more limits on the devices. Work-zone cameras can run only when workers are present. New cameras also need a 30-day warning period.

After costs are covered, ticket money must go toward traffic safety funds. Work zones and dangerous intersections get priority.

Police can also use cameras to catch stop-sign violations in work zones. Workers must be present. Cameras are also allowed in high-risk speed corridors. LL

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