Class Action Certification for 'Scam' Speed Camera Lawsuit

Love them or loathe them, you’d be mad not to loathe them. Speed cameras are becoming an ever more popular sight along America’s roadways and depending on your point of view, they’re either a helpful and effective way to ensure laws are enforced, or a complicated and unfair scam designed to get drivers’ money. In August, New Jersey drivers who had been hit with fines by allegedly faulty cameras were given a $4.2 million settlement after plaintiffs argued that the machines had not been maintained or inspected as required by law. Now, a class of Ohio motorists is taking action against speed cameras they claim do little more than bring in money for authorities.

More than $1.75 million in fines could be refunded.

A judge in Cincinnati agreed this week to give class action status to an already-filed lawsuit that challenges the use of speed cameras in Elmwood Place, Ohio, reports The Columbus Dispatch. As opposed to the New Jersey case, which focused on alleged violations in the setup and maintenance of the cameras, residents and motorists of Elmwood Place claim that the cameras constitute a ‘scam’ because they were installed without adequate warning and the process of challenging citations is too convoluted.

As many as 10,000 drivers are thought to qualify for class membership after receiving tickets during the cameras’ six months of use. The cameras have not been active since Judge Robert Ruehlman of Hamilton County Court ordered they be stopped. More than $1.75 million in fines could be refunded to class members, the suit claims.

The Ohio village has been accused of instigating a ‘ticket blitz’ to raise money, unfairly targeting motorists who were forced to shell out $105 per speeding violation. Local businesses and churches have reportedly experienced a drop in business following the cameras’ installation.

The use of speeding cameras, never popular with motorists, has nevertheless received support from courts around the country, including Ohio’s Supreme Court. Detractors generally maintain that speed cameras are inaccurate, that tickets are difficult to appeal, and that the entire system is used by local governments as a quick way to make money while disregarding the rights of drivers. The New Jersey case saw as many as 500,000 motorists offered 10% of their penalty back. In the Elmwood Place class action, plaintiffs are hoping for much more.