A Data Review of Automated Enforcement in the United States

Automated traffic cameras have become a familiar part of the American roadway. They sit above intersections, line school zones, and monitor busy corridors where speeding and red light violations are common. Their purpose is straightforward. They are designed to reduce dangerous driving and prevent crashes. Yet their expansion has also raised questions about accuracy, fairness, and the role of revenue in enforcement.

A recent study conducted by Bader Law examines these systems across the United States, with a detailed look at Georgia, one of the fastest growing states for school zone speed cameras. The findings show a complex picture. Cameras can reduce serious crashes, but they also create challenges when errors occur or when enforcement practices are unclear. The data reveals both the benefits and the tradeoffs of automated enforcement, and it highlights the policy questions that states continue to confront.

This article reviews the key data points from the study and presents them in a format that is easy to read and understand.

How Automated Enforcement Works

Automated enforcement systems rely on sensors and cameras to detect violations without requiring an officer to be present. The process is designed to be efficient and consistent.

How Speed Cameras Operate

• Radar or LIDAR measures vehicle speed.
• If a vehicle exceeds the posted limit, the system captures an image of the license plate.
• The system records the date, time, and speed.
• A sworn officer reviews the evidence before a citation is issued.

How Red Light Cameras Operate

• A camera is triggered when a vehicle enters an intersection after the signal turns red.
• The system captures photos or video of the violation.
• If the footage confirms the violation, a citation is mailed to the registered owner.

These systems are often placed in areas with high crash rates or frequent violations, such as school zones or major intersections. While the technology is intended to improve safety, concerns arise when signage is unclear, when equipment malfunctions, or when enforcement occurs outside posted hours.

Where Cameras Are Allowed or Banned

Automated enforcement laws vary widely across the country. As of 2026, the legal landscape is divided.

State Policies on Automated Enforcement

The number of red light camera programs has declined over the past decade.

Program Trends

• 2012: 533 programs
• 2023: 337 programs
• 2026: 352 programs

Many cities have ended their programs due to legal challenges, disputes over revenue sharing, or public opposition. Court rulings in cities such as Albuquerque and St. Louis forced shutdowns after concerns about due process and improper revenue practices. Texas enacted statewide bans after complaints that drivers lacked adequate opportunities to contest citations.

Public Opinion on Traffic Cameras

Public perception is more supportive than many assume. Surveys from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that most drivers approve of cameras when they are used for safety rather than revenue.

Survey Findings

• Two thirds of drivers in 14 major cities supported red light cameras in their communities.
• In Washington, D.C., 87 percent of residents supported red light safety cameras.

Support tends to drop when enforcement feels unclear or unfair. Common sources of frustration include borderline violations, poor signage, and citations issued outside posted enforcement hours.

Safety Impact: What the Data Shows

Speeding and Fatal Crashes

Speeding remains a major factor in roadway deaths. According to 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• 11,775 people died in speeding related crashes.
• These deaths accounted for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities.
• An estimated 332,598 people were injured in speeding related crashes.
• Young drivers were heavily represented. Thirty seven percent of male drivers and 18 percent of female drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in fatal crashes were speeding.

Among speeding drivers:

• 29 percent were unlicensed.
• 38 percent had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher.
• 51 percent were unrestrained.

Eighty eight percent of speeding related deaths occurred on non interstate roads, which are the same areas where many automated cameras are installed.

Red Light Running and Crash Severity

Red light running is less common than speeding but often more severe.

• 1,086 people were killed in red light running crashes in 2023.
• More than 135,000 people were injured.

Research shows that red light cameras reduce dangerous intersection crashes.

Crash Reductions in Cities With Cameras

• Fatal red light crashes decreased by 21 percent.
• Overall fatal crashes at signalized intersections dropped by 14 percent.
• Right angle crashes fell by 32 percent.

When cameras were removed, fatal red light crashes increased. In 14 cities that discontinued their programs between 2010 and 2014, fatal red light crashes were 30 percent higher than expected.

Before cameras were widely used, violations were frequent. A 1999 study found that a motorist ran a red light every 20 minutes at each of five monitored intersections.

Tradeoffs and Engineering Considerations

Automated enforcement can reduce severe crashes, but it can also increase less serious ones. Drivers sometimes brake abruptly when they see a camera, which can lead to rear end collisions.

Federal Highway Administration Findings

• Right angle crashes decreased by 25 percent.
• Rear end crashes increased by 15 percent.
• The overall economic benefit across seven cities exceeded 18.5 million dollars.

Traffic safety experts often recommend combining enforcement with engineering improvements such as better lighting, clearer signage, narrower lanes, or longer yellow signals. Cities that use both strategies tend to see stronger and more sustained safety gains.

Georgia: A Case Study in Rapid Expansion

Georgia has seen one of the fastest expansions of school zone speed cameras in the country.

Growth Since 2019

• Permits increased from 39 to 290.
• Cameras generated more than 112 million dollars in revenue.
• Revenue is typically split 66 percent to the city and school system and 34 percent to the vendor.

Communities using these systems include Alpharetta, Athens Clarke County, Clayton County, Duluth, Fulton County, Griffin, Gwinnett County, Marietta, Morrow, Riverdale, Savannah, and Tifton.

Accuracy Problems and Refunds

Several Georgia communities have faced significant issues.

• Jonesboro issued nearly 1,000 incorrect tickets due to programming errors and refunded 76,400 dollars.
• Barrow County issued more than 721,000 dollars in refunds after a speed limit sign was placed incorrectly.
• By September 2025, more than 133,000 drivers were blocked from renewing their vehicle registrations due to unpaid camera tickets, many of which were disputed because enforcement occurred when school zone lights were not flashing.

Georgia law requires cameras to operate only when school zone signals are active, yet many citations were issued outside those hours.

Legislative Response

Rep. Dewey McClain has called for reform or removal of the cameras. He cites NHTSA data showing that pedestrian deaths in Georgia rose from 262 in 2019 to 345 in 2022, a 31 percent increase. Fatalities among school age children remained mostly unchanged, raising questions about whether the cameras have improved safety for students.

Multiple bills are under consideration in the Georgia legislature to tighten regulations or limit enforcement hours.

Broader Patterns and Policy Questions

Tourist Speed Traps

Georgia attracts 174 million visitors annually. Some towns along major corridors have gained national attention for aggressive enforcement.

Examples include:

• Warwick and Ashburn on Interstate 75, where ticket revenue reportedly exceeded 1,000 dollars per resident in Warwick.
• Tallulah Falls and Dillard in North Georgia.
• Oliver and Snellville, which have faced criticism for generating large portions of their budgets from citations.

Cost and Return on Investment

Automated enforcement systems can be profitable for municipalities.

• Installation costs range from 80,000 to 100,000 dollars for a two camera intersection.
• Annual maintenance costs range from 5,000 to 10,000 dollars.
• In high volume areas, systems may pay for themselves within 90 days.

A school zone camera in Marlborough, Connecticut issued 6,500 citations in six months, generating millions in fines.

Citation Volume by Location

Alternative Approaches

Some cities have chosen engineering solutions instead of cameras.

• Detroit installed more than 10,000 speed humps.
• Columbus and Fort Lauderdale use road design changes as part of Vision Zero strategies.

These approaches aim to prevent dangerous behavior rather than penalize it.

What the Data Shows Overall

Automated enforcement can reduce serious crashes, especially at intersections. It can also create challenges when systems malfunction or when enforcement practices are unclear. The study from Bader Law shows that:

• Errors can lead to thousands of incorrect citations.
• Tourists and lower income drivers often bear the greatest burden.
• Revenue sharing arrangements raise concerns about financial incentives.
• In Georgia, pedestrian deaths have increased despite the rapid expansion of school zone cameras.