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(USGovernment-News.Com, December 21, 2013 ) Columbus, OH – A Hamilton County Common Plea judge has rebuffed claims that traffic cameras make law enforcement officials more efficient thus moving lawsuits seeking reimbursement of speeding fines and fees forward. Judge Robert Ruehlman said he will issue his decision on January 23rd, 2014.
Motorists are seeking $1.8 million in refunds arguing that the cameras violated their constitutional right to due process giving drivers little chance to challenge their tickets. Additionally, residents said the village didn’t give proper notice that camera enforcement was starting resulting in thousands of speeding citations within the first month.
Lawsuits over the use of traffic cameras have spread throughout Ohio. Two in Franklin County are challenging Columbus’ use of red-light cameras and both are seeking restitution for penalties they received from as far back as 2007. In March 2013 the judge ordered Elmwood Place, a Cincinnati-area village, to halt the use of traffic cameras.
Legal battles continue to arise in the state as a bill that could ban speed cameras in all areas, except school zones, was sent to the Senate back in June after the bill was approved by the house in a 61-32 vote.
Although the judge ruled that the use of such cameras was not necessarily efficient, data from the Ohio Department of Public Safety indicates that car accidents caused by drivers running a red light have fallen by more than 14 percent since 2010. Additionally, the number of speed-related accidents has also dropped which may be indicator that the cameras are leading to better driving habits.
In Columbus specifically, officials reported a 74 percent drop in side-impact crashes and 25 percent decrease in rear-end collisions between 2008 and 2011.
For now traffic cameras continue to plague drivers; the ruling in January 2014 could change all of this but could also lead to more car accidents.
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O’Connor, Acciani & Levy is a personal injury law firm with more than 30 years of experience. Comprised of caring and considerate attorneys, the firm’s legal team strives to resolve every case with professionalism while protecting the rights of injury and accident victims in Ohio and Kentucky. With offices in Cincinnati, Anderson, Mason, Hamilton, and Columbus, Ohio and also in Covington, Kentucky, contact O’Connor, Acciani & Levy today for a free, confidential case evaluation by visiting oal-law.com, or by calling (877) 288-3241.
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