New Jersey pols want to prohibit other states from accessing its driver records to levy speed and red light camera fines — setting up a confrontation with New York City, where the majority of out-of-state speeders come from the Garden State.
New Jersey state senators voted unanimously in favor of the legislation, which would prohibit the state’s DMV from providing license holders to states to issue red light or speed camera fines.
“We’ve heard from a number of folks, [on] both sides of the aisle, who all say that they get it,” bill co-sponsor Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth County) told The Post.
The Big Apple has added thousands of new speed cameras since 2019, and city officials point to statistics that show reductions in speeding and crashes at locations where they are installed.
Vehicles registered in New Jersey receive the bulk of the out-of-state violations, and the state’s drivers account for more unpaid tickets than drivers from any other state — including New York.
O’Scanlon called the red light and speed camera programs “government-sanctioned theft.”
“It’s a regressive tax. Rich people don’t really care,” he said. “If you want to slow people down you change the engineering of the roadway, there’s plenty of ways to do it.
“These guys would rather screw motorists with bogus tickets than change the engineering, which wouldn’t make money for these corrupt companies and their government co-conspirators.”
The senator said there is momentum for his bill, which has Democratic and Republican co-sponsors in both Democrat-controlled houses of the state legislature.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “The question is will Democratic legislative leadership fall prey to industry lobbyists.”
Garden State politicians have long treated traffic cameras with more skepticism than their counterparts across the Hudson River, who voted earlier this year to continue New York City’s speed camera program and expand the hours when cameras can operate.
New Jersey lawmakers in 2014 yanked a 5-year-old “pilot” red light camera program — O’Scanlon’s bill passed the Senate in 2016 but did not pass in the Assembly at that time.
Speeding at camera locations in New York City dropped 72% after their installation, according to city data. The city’s pro-camera advocates blasted O’Scanlon’s bill.
“No one is above the law, including speeding drivers from New Jersey, but that’s exactly what this bill by Trenton lawmakers aims to achieve,” said Danny Harris of the bike and pedestrian group Transportation Alternatives. “If this bill becomes law, millions of New Yorkers would be in greater danger of deadly traffic violence.”
A rep for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said his office does not comment on pending legislation.
Mayor Eric Adams has been a longtime supporter of speed cameras and pushed for their expansion in Albany this year.
Adams’ office referred The Post to the city Department of Transportation, which said it has “serious concern” about the New Jersey proposal.
“Speed cameras are a critical tool to save lives, which is why NYC is turning them on 24/7 beginning Aug. 1,” DOT rep Vin Barone said in a statement.
“We are aware of the NJ senate bill and we have serious concerns about its effect on safety should it become law. We will always work with our colleagues across the Hudson to pursue a shared goal of safety for all who use New York City’s streets.”
