Memphis drivers, take notice: new speed cameras are slated to start clicking in school zones and on serpentine streets later this month. A move by the City of Memphis aims to increase roadway safety and regulate high-speed misdemeanors that so frequently disrupt the peace of these high-risk areas. A $50 fine awaits those caught breaching speed limits once the cameras kick into full enforcement mode on October 30, with warning notices circulating from September 30.
In an effort to keep pedestrians, especially the youngest amongst us, away from the harm speed may bring, the city's latest strategy involves the installation of 30 speed cameras at 15 select problem spots. Reporting from Action News 5 paints a picture of concern from local parents and students over vehicles speeding down vital crossings at times when children are afoot. Adelaide, a student at Idlewild Elementary School, told the publication, "It makes me kind of nervous, because a bunch of children go here," underscoring the vulnerability felt by those the cameras seek to protect.
Not everyone is cheering the high-tech enforcement; some drivers fear the lack of discretion that comes with mechanical monitoring, a sentiment echoed by Anthony Ledbetter, who suggested to FOX13 that "Maybe a cop can use discretion," he can discern the situation. The city, however, believes commissioned law enforcement officers will review violations and authorize ticket issuance, fulfilling a similar oversight role as on-the-ground policing. Memphis Mayor Paul Young highlighted the camera's dual focus on punitive measures and behavioral change, citing improving community safety as a trump card, according to WREG.
There seems to be a clear division, for on one hand, there are those who nourish the hope that technology will force a recalibration of local driving habits, while on the other hand, there are skeptics who view the cameras as yet another impersonal reach of authority, potentially ensnaring the compliant and non-compliant alike. Even Andy Holt, a former state rep who's soon to become the state agriculture commissioner, advocated for outright ticket defiance back in 2016. However, as defense attorney Brandon Hall divulged to FOX13, unresolved camera infractions may come back to haunt drivers in court for unrelated offenses, influencing some to find virtue in caution and comply with the new system.
According to WREG, the cameras, which the Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis said "have been shown to reduce crashes and serious injuries," will come with a penalty phase, featuring warnings followed by fines, if speeding persists, aims are met, and the collective safety of Memphis's streets gradually stakes higher ground.
