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Jan. 12, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Caught on camera: Arizona speeders

Photo enforcement vans set up on U.S. Highway 93

By DAVE HAWKINS
SPECIAL TO THE REVIEW-JOURNAL

KINGMAN, Ariz. -- Next time you drive on U.S. Highway 93 on your way through Arizona, you might want to look for vans parked at the side of the road.

Especially if the open highway sometimes urges you to step on the gas.

That's because the Arizona Department of Public Safety is starting to use cameras -- mounted inside these vans -- to catch speeders. And U.S. 93 is an enforcement zone.

The vans will be stationed where statistics reveal a high ratio of speed-relation traffic collisions.

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    • "Obviously for Mohave County, one that comes to mind is Highway 93 with all the traffic back and forth to Las Vegas from the valley," public safety Director Roger Vanderpool said in making an announcement Friday.

    Lt. Ron DeLong, commander of the Kingman Department of Public Safety District, said Arizona Route 95, south of Bullhead City, is another area where the camera-equipped vans will be placed.

    "The goal of the photo enforcement program is to reduce the number of collisions," DeLong said. "In addition to that, if we reduce the level of injuries that take place to folks involved in collisions that do occur and reduce fatalities, we're better off."

    Program Manager Tom Woodward said warnings or citations will be mailed to the registered owners of vehicles caught speeding on camera.

    Vanderpool said drivers will be warned that they're entering a zone where speed is being monitored by camera. He said motorists will pass two "photo enforcement zone" signs before arriving at a point where a camera-equipped van is stationed.

    Woodward said offenders cited under the photo enforcement program enjoy the same right to challenge a citation in court as would anyone who would get a ticket from an officer.

    While photo enforcement is used in municipalities, Arizona is the first state in the nation to implement such a program administered by a state level law enforcement agency, the agency said.

    "It's DPS's intention to take the photo enforcement program statewide," Vanderpool said.



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    inga wrote on January 15, 2008 02:12 PM: More big brother BS from the state.

    Its time to do like they do in the UK and start painting over the lenses of these cameras.


    NT0584 wrote on January 12, 2008 10:17 PM: These robo-cops are a CHEAP way for the state of AZ to generate revenue and I'm happy Las Vegas does not have them. I'm a local resident who just receieved one of these tickets in the mail..all the comments about "proper service" and "process servers", it doesn't matter.. since being properly served can be interepeted by AZ courts in their favor meaning first class mail counts as proper service.

    You could take your chance ignoring the ticket, but AZ will probably go through the hassle of reportining you to our DMV that you didn't pay and the DMV will suspend your liscense. If they bothered to send ticket to out of state drivers to begin with, you can bet they will take proper action if you choose to ignore it.

    Hopefully the Supreme Court takes proper action to strike down these cameras as they are revenue generators and they violate our due process laws..


    right wrote on January 12, 2008 02:04 PM: Good one J- NOT! they protect there own ask Petterson


    TimeRanger wrote on January 12, 2008 12:38 PM: "What most people don't realize is you can demand to be served by a Process Server..." - Bobj

    Cite please.


    Bobj wrote on January 12, 2008 11:55 AM: What most people don't realize is you can demand to be served by a Process Server for the ticket or ignore it. I imagine Arizona would find it expensive to serve some of the people going down 93 that are from other states. Of course if they do manage to serve you then you'll pay an extra $25 charge on top of the fine.


    tim wrote on January 12, 2008 09:15 AM: two words,big brother. going 5 or 10 miles over the speed limit when your the only car for miles on a straight road where you can see for miles,come on. all you idiots who think its o.k. for the gov. to watch us every where we go and watch everything we do are nothing more than sheep.you deserve no freedom.ever here of a document called the constitution?


    j wrote on January 12, 2008 07:26 AM: Good work! Will these cameras also catch officers who are speeding out of control for no reason?!


    Steve wrote on January 12, 2008 06:23 AM: These cameras DO work. I drive entirely too fast; I follow entirely too close; I blame it on the incompetent morons moping along at 1/2 the posted speed limit in the left lane. However, I was busted by one of these cameras on the 101 in Scottsdale, AZ. It was a $250 fine. The pictures were PERFECT. I drive AT LEAST 2 miles BELOW the posted speed limit when I drive on the 101 now. If the cameras were here, I'd do the same.


    Vegas Vic wrote on January 12, 2008 02:34 AM: I can just hear the whiners going off about this bit of news. They'll cry that the only thing speeding or red light cameras are for is to generate revenue for the county. Hey, if it slams the speeders or red light runners, that's fine by me. I speed so I'd have the chance of getting nailed by one of these cameras. I DON'T run red lights so I could laugh at those who get caught thinking they can get away with it because Metro is rarely around when many people are doing it.