Washington Statewide Class Action Lawsuit Challenging Speed and Intersection Safety Cameras Dismissed

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) welcomed a U.S. District Judge’s decision yesterday that reaffirmed the legality of speed and intersection safety cameras in 18 cities across the state of Washington. (Todd, et al. v City of Aberdeen, et al., USDC W.D. Wash. No. CV 09-1232 JCC).

“yet another validation of the legality of safety cameras. Across the country, courts have consistently upheld the constitutionality and use of safety cameras. ATS will continue to work with states and municipalities to bring life-saving technology to communities to protect motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.”

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour who presides in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington rendered his ruling Tuesday morning. The decision wholly rejected three separate challenges to the use of safety cameras brought by more than 40 traffic infraction violators who received tickets.

Although the plaintiffs argued that the cities violated state law requirements for issuing tickets because the infraction forms were not treated in the same manner as parking tickets, the Court disagreed. In his order, Judge Coughenour explained that state law allows for differences in how the form of parking tickets and safety camera tickets are developed. Furthermore, regarding the question of whether the fees associated with the violations were unreasonable, the judge held that state law “grants municipalities flexibility in determining fine levels, and that the fines are not excessive.”

George Hittner, vice president and general counsel for ATS, called the judge’s ruling “yet another validation of the legality of safety cameras. Across the country, courts have consistently upheld the constitutionality and use of safety cameras. ATS will continue to work with states and municipalities to bring life-saving technology to communities to protect motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.”

The Todd ruling aligns with court decisions in numerous states, as well as the with U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Idris v. City of Chicago (U.S. 7th Cir., No. 08-1363, decided Jan. 5, 2009; holding “No one has a fundamental right to run a red light.”), which upheld the use of photo safety cameras as legal law enforcement tools to protect the public’s safety.

Cities named as defendants in the lawsuit are: Auburn, Bellevue, Bonney Lake, Bremerton, Burien, Federal Way, Fife, Issaquah, Lacey, Lake Forest Park, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Puyallup, Renton, Seatac, Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. ATS and Redflex Traffic Systems are the two road safety camera vendors named in the lawsuit. ATS was represented by the law firm Stoel Rives, L.L.P.

About American Traffic Solutions:

As the company whose principals were the architects of the first road safety cameras in the United States in 1987, ATS is also the fastest growing provider in North America, serving more than 26 million people in more than 200 communities including: New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Houston, Seattle and San Diego. ATS also offers PlatePass®, an automated electronic toll payment service that enables rental vehicle customers to use high-speed, cashless electronic toll lanes. ATS is a privately owned, U.S. corporation headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz. For more information, please visit: www.PlatePass.com or www.atsol.com.