As a Long Island motorist, you’re probably used to a rather hectic experience out on our highways and byways. Between aggressive drivers, road imperfections that could damage your vehicle, and ever increasing distractions for people behind the wheel; there are more things to worry about than ever before. In recent years, we’ve added additional “experiences” to our lives out on the roadway, with the red light cameras that Islanders have (sometimes begrudgingly) become very used to. Now we have been introduced to their “big brother”, the speed camera.

Originally employed predominantly in Europe, where drivers have been dealing with them for years, the same legal framework that has been used to justify our red light cameras is being used to cite drivers caught speeding in work zones. As of late May, anyone caught by the photo systems going more than 10 mph over the speed limit in a work zone will be charged with a civil infraction and fine. As of now, the “grace period” for these systems has elapsed.

It is important to note that this is not a criminal infraction. The lack of any citing officer in the case of these “crimes” means that they cannot carry any criminal penalty, and thus no points on your driving record. This doesn’t mean that the fines will be light though, with $50 fines for minor infractions, and $100 fines for repeat or major infractions.

Many have supported these measures, citing safety concerns, and improved conditions for workers. But many expect the steep fines and automated nature of the program to potentially cause accidents as well, with motorists panicking to avoid a fine, and making desperate moves to do so. There is also the concern that while 60% of the recovered money from these “civil liabilities” will go to programs meant to improve the safety of road workers, 40% of the money goes directly to Verra Mobility, the vendor of the systems. It should be noted that Verra Mobility is not a New York company. They are headquartered in Mesa, AZ.

Though the subject is a contentious one, with good points made on both sides, our take is that more information is always a good thing. So here are a few specifics that may help you deal with these speed cameras as an informed citizen. Firstly, they take a picture of anyone that is over the set speed limit, regardless of whether or not the speed is enough to warrant a fine. The idea is that this will work as a deterrent. So, even if you are less than 10 MPH over the limit, you will be photographed. Try not to lose your composure if this happens to you.

Secondly, they do not capture the face of the driver. So be careful if someone else is driving your car. They will hold the owner of the vehicle liable for any infractions the vehicle is involved in, and it will be your obligation to prove that it was not you. This is yet another reason why the tickets cannot carry a criminal penalty.

Lastly, don’t try to get tricky about things. You are not going to “juke” the camera or otherwise cause it to not get a good capture of your plate. You are more likely to cause an accident doing that than to escape a ticket. And the other “options” of using a photoreflective license plate cover or (the really poor idea of) a fake paper tag on your car are very illegal, and extremely illegal, respectively.

If there are any further developments of note on this issue, you can be sure that we will report on them. It will be interesting to see if and how these new measures affect our lives here on The Island. Make sure to check back with us to get our take on other issues that affect us all over the Greater NY area, and we’d be happy to hear your take as well. Don’t ever be afraid to reach out!