State Rep. Orlando Ramos.
Reminder Publishing file photo
SPRINGFIELD — State Rep. Orlando Ramos has filed a bill that would give towns and cities the ability to install red light cameras and automatically fine drivers when they run red lights.
According to a release sent to Reminder Publishing, “An Act Relative to Traffic Safety at Intersections” allows municipalities to opt in to this legislation after conducting public hearings and receiving final approval from local governing boards.
The introduction of the legislation comes after a report from the American Automobile Association said that more than 1,000 people are killed each year across the country in crashes involving red-light running.
In 2022 alone, at least 1,149 people died and an estimated 107,000 were injured in such incidents nationwide — a 4% increase from 2021 and a 22% rise from 2017. According to the report, victims of these crashes included drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians.
In an interview, the Springfield Democrat said he was inspired to submit the legislation after hearing a lot of complaints from people about cars running red lights in their communities.
“I think there may be some correlation between post-COVID and the number of drivers that are just breaking traffic laws,” Ramos said. “I also know that distracted driving is at an all-time high with the number of people playing on their cell phones or texting and driving, and that has led to what I think is a more visible and noticeable amount of people running red lights.”
Red light cameras would not be a requirement across the state if the legislation passed. Instead, municipalities will have to opt in through a local governing process if they want to install the cameras.
“This is a local option,” Ramos said. “So, cities and towns have the option of either opting in or staying out. [The bill] is not mandatory.”
Currently, 22 states and Washington D.C. permit the use of traffic enforcement cameras, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The state representative said his bill would only apply to red light violations, not speeding and the cameras would never be hidden when installed.
Furthermore, Ramos shared that signage would be posted leading up to the intersection, so drivers are aware of the cameras’ existence.
“They’re going to be very public and noticeable,” Ramos said.
When the thought of installing red light cameras was first proposed to him while he was on the Springfield City Council a decade ago, Ramos opposed the idea. As someone who has backed legislation regulating facial surveillance technology at the state and local level, the state representative was concerned about the possible ramifications that come with red light cameras, especially regarding privacy.
After researching traffic cameras more thoroughly however, Ramos found that the cameras are used for picture purposes rather than video surveillance, and they are capable of blurring faces out.
“After learning more about them, I felt more comfortable with the idea of having these cameras,” Ramos said.
An initial concern with this type of legislation was its possible unconstitutionality because of the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the rights of criminal defendants in courts. But based on a review of case law, Ramos found that running a red light is a civil infraction, not a criminal one, which means the Sixth Amendment would not apply to what he is proposing.
“There are a lot of things that we’re going to do to be careful around protecting people’s privacy while also maintaining safe roads in our city,” Ramos said.
A hearing on the bill occurred on June 3 before the Joint Committee on Transportation.
The state representative shared that the Massachusetts lawmakers will work on instituting a cap on the fine for these red-light infractions, which means it will be up to the cities and towns to implement a fine up to the cap that the lawmakers set.
Speaking further on the matter, Ramos said the legislation is not a revenue-generating bill, but a safety one.
“We’re not trying to raise money for cities and towns or for the state,” Ramos said. “It’s simply about keeping people alive and safe.”
