‘Nascar weekend, here we come’, warn drivers as speed cameras are switched off under new law – before decision on fines is made

POLICE departments in Iowa have stopped issuing speeding tickets to comply with a new law and drivers are worried about their safety.

Despite local police citing speeding as a major safety concern in Iowa, drivers will no longer issue speed camera citations.

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The new law establishes that revenue collected from these cameras can only be used for public security and infrastructure.

Signed into law by Governor Reynolds, the bill will take effect on July 1.

The law requires specific signage between 500 and 1,000 feet along highways to indicate areas where the system will be used.

Under the law, cities and counties that want to install traffic cameras are required to first obtain a permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation.

They must also cite a valid reason for needing the cameras.

The law creates a standardized speeding fine across the state.

Police departments in Des Moines, Marshalltown and Prairie City have stopped issuing citations for speeding.

Marshalltown Police say speed and traffic concerns are at the top of their priority list – this particular department receives more than 600 calls a week.

“It’s a great tool for us, it’s a great resource,” said Police Chief Michael Tupper told WHO13.

“But I come back to my advice to the community: if you don’t like the cameras, put us out of business and stop speeding.

“It’s that simple. We don’t like issuing tickets, but speeding is a big problem and it’s a public safety issue.”

A regulation incorporated into the law states that traffic enforcement cameras can be used to issue tickets only when someone is driving more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.

Combat incorrect toll violations

A legal expert says a toll violation notice can be challenged with a few simple steps.

1. Double-check the name and license plate number. Breaches are finalized by a technician before they are sent, and sometimes a simple mistake can be made. If the problem is as simple as someone misinterpreting the sign due to a grainy photo, the problem can be resolved by calling the toll agency.
2. If the license plate is correct but the car is no longer registered in your name, you can dispute it by contacting your state’s transportation agency (i.e. DMV) to provide proof that the vehicle is no longer yours. .
3. If the violation claims it was issued due to a missing account and you actually have an active account, the violation can usually be challenged on the toll agency’s website. Otherwise, calling is an option.
4. Dispute the notice immediately. Many toll agencies impose a short deadline for drivers to contest a notification, so it’s important to do so quickly to avoid late fees.
5. Be clear when submitting a dispute online. The more details you include, the easier it will be to resolve the issue.
6. If necessary, drivers can file a hearing to dispute the charge.

Read more here.

That’s a relief for many Iowa drivers.

One User X complained that speeding tickets are very regular in Iowa compared to other states.

“11 Years Driving on Nebraska Plates: One Speeding Ticket,” the user tweeted.

“Less than 1 day driving with an Iowa license plate: a speeding ticket.”

Others on social media believe that drivers can avoid tickets simply by following the speed limit.

“Very simple, I don’t want a speeding ticket – don’t speed,” they commented on a Facebook post announcing the new law.

However, others fear the change will result in illegal driving.

“Nascar weekend, here we come,” warned one driver in a Facebook comment.

The bill serves as a “compromise” to the long-running dispute over traffic cameras in Iowa.

Some lawmakers sought to ban them outright, while others pushed for less stringent regulations or sought to preserve cities’ control over the systems.

As of 2023, Cedar Rapids has issued the most tickets and earned the most revenue of any Iowa city that uses traffic cameras, reported the Des Moines Register.

According to public records, Cedar Rapids published almost 170 thousand fines and collected 94,037 fines.

While Iowa police are not currently issuing tickets, they confirmed that speed cameras are still collecting important data.