New Bill Could Fine Massachusetts Drivers for Running Red Lights Without Police Presence

You may ask yourself, "I thought they already had cameras at traffic light intersections?" Yes, they do, but they're not there for what you think they're there for. At least for now.

The cameras currently in use are only for traffic detection, so the lights know when to turn red in one direction and green in the other. However, if a new bill passes in Massachusetts, you might start seeing another camera for a different purpose. Let's find out.

New Bill Could Fine Massachusetts Drivers for Running Red Lights Without Police Presence

Some legislators are once again advocating for the use of traffic cameras in Massachusetts to encourage drivers to slow down and stop at red lights. CBS News Boston reports that a proposed bill in the state Senate would grant cities and towns the authority to set up cameras that capture license plates when traffic laws are violated. The system would then issue a ticket to the vehicle's registered owner.

The cameras can detect various violations such as running a red light, making an illegal right turn on red, exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or more, and blocking an intersection. Sen. William Brownsberger of Belmont, the bill's sponsor, states that enforcement on Massachusetts roads is currently insufficient.

"There's a lot of speeding, there's a lot of people going through red lights, there's a lot of people blowing through right turns on reds. I do think it's gotten worse over the past few years." - Sen. William Brownsberger

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What Type of Penalties Will Drivers Face If Caught Running Red Lights On Camera?

Individuals who violate the regulations may be subject to fines between $25 and $150. Since no points would be added to their driving records, their insurance premiums should remain unaffected. To protect privacy, the bill permits the use of cameras to capture license plates rather than images of drivers. Additionally, cities and towns are not allowed to profit from these fines; instead, the revenue would only be used to cover the expenses of maintaining the equipment.

Similar legislative proposals have been introduced in Massachusetts before but failed to pass, and the legislature must approve this by the July deadline.

"It's not going to be a cash cow for anybody. Municipalities are not going to have any incentive to just throw these up and basically tax people for going through the community. We need this to start making our roads safer again," -  Sen. William Brownsberger