Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Ban On Red Light Cameras

A trio of Republican legislators in Ohio have introduced legislation banning the use of cameras to catch speeding and red-light runners in the state.

State Rep. Ron Hood (R-Ashville) cited safety concerns as the main reason for introducing the ban on the cameras, the Coshocton Tribune reported. The Ohio proposal would ban use of the cameras for both red light and speed limit enforcement within the state, making Ohio part of a growing number of states to ban the usage of one or both types of cameras. Lawmakers seeking to enact such bans have also raised privacy issues as a point of concern.

“Several recent studies, including a federal report, have confirmed that traffic photo-monitoring devices increase the number of rear-end collisions at intersections that are monitored by these devices,” Hood said in a statement to the Coshocton Tribune.

The Ohio legislation comes days after a judge in Hamilton County said that a speeding ticket issued due to a camera violated the state's due process laws.

The Ohio lawmakers are not alone in pushing a state ban on cameras designed to catch red-light runners. New Jersey state Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-Little Silver) has introduced legislation to ban the cameras in his state, citing many of the same traffic concerns that Hood brought up. O'Scanlon has been vocal in media interviews around the New Jersey and New York areas to press his legislation. New Jersey already bans cameras used for enforcing speed limits.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a series of states have enacted bans on the cameras, including some that allow the cameras but require a picture of the driver's face. Several states -- including Mississippi, Montana and Wisconsin -- have outlawed red light cameras as well.