NEW ORLEANS — With no warning to the public, the city of New Orleans lowered the threshold for being given a speeding ticket by the city’s automated stationary cameras and mobile cameras inside of specially-designed cars.
The result has drivers fuming as they have received $75 tickets for violations they didn’t realize were being recorded.
News of the threshold change was originally to be included in an announcement in January about changes to the speed camera program that included the removal of several camera locations, according to Beau Tidwell, City Communications Director.
However, that piece of the announcement was taken out of an internal memo because the change had not yet gone into effect at that time, Tidwell said.
"“As we stated previously: The administration is working to tighten enforcement around school zones during school hours. The speed limit has not been changed, but the threshold for triggering an automatic ticket has been lowered. We believe encouraging drivers to strictly observe the posted 20 mph limit helps protect children and their families,” Tidwell said.
Motorists previously could go up to six mph over the speed limit in a school zone (26 in a 20 mph zone) and up to 10 miles over speed limits in other ‘speed camera’ areas without triggering a ticket. That threshold was lowered without warning to four miles per hour in school zones and eight miles per hour in non-school zones.
“We are tightening enforcement efforts in our school zones to help encourage safer driving," Cantrell spokesman Trey Caruso said in an email to The New Orleans Advocate. "Going 2 miles over, or 10 miles over the limit: you’re in violation either way. We want people to pay attention and to be safe around our schools.”
It was not explained why the public was not warned of the change, but, because it takes a few weeks to receive a ticket from the automated program, some drivers had a few tickets before realizing the speed threshold had changed.
“It was about two weeks ago and I got the notice in the mail yesterday,” said Michael McKenzie. “The speed limit was 20 by the school and I was doing 24 and I though, ‘Gee, this was kind of a reach.’”
Some say they were blindsided by the move, especially since one of Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s campaign promises was to turn off traffic cameras.
“All of this stuff, regardless of what politicians say, has nothing to do with safety, it’s all a revenue generator,” said Jim Schmidt.