The Rise of The Ticket Camera “Front Group”

Private companies with financial interests in photo enforcement (specifically, red light cameras) have reached a new low in their never ending efforts to mislead and trick the general public.  A company with direct ties to American Traffic Solutions (ATS) has created around 15 websites which claim to represent grass-roots, citizen-run organizations promoting the use of ticket cameras.  All of them claim that their reasoning for the defense of photo-enforcement is about safety, and not revenue.  Currently, these bogus “groups” are being used to counter-attack various genuine, citizen-run organizations which are working to have the issue of automated ticketing placed in the hands of voters.  The National Motorists Association does a good job of pointing out that while there is nothing illegal or unethical about a private company attempting to protect its financial interests, “the line is crossed by the creation of the pretense that there is organized community support for ticket cameras and that support is based on safety concerns.”