NJ Red Light Camera Settlement Should Be Tossed Out Says Lawmaker

A $4.2 million red light camera settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit brought on by drivers who feel they were wrongly ticketed by red light cameras. An Assemblyman who has been the most vocal opponent of the red light cameras thinks the deal is a joke and he’s calling on a judge to throw it out.

As per the lawsuit agreement, the minimum payout is $8.50, or ten cents on the dollar of an $85 ticket and even less when the tickets go as high as $140.

“This settlement is unquestionably woefully inadequate returning less than ten cents on the dollar to the average motorists who received one of these unfounded tickets,” said Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon. “The settlement will enrich the attorneys pushing it while letting the red-light camera companies and municipalities that are stealing from people every day off the hook with less than a slap on the wrist.”

As part of his ongoing crusade to scrap the red light camera program, O’Scanlon has started an online petition calling for the end of the program. He’s already amassed almost 4,000 signatures.

“Any settlement for less than 80% of the actual fine is a slap in the face to motorists and another gift to the camera companies,” said O’Scanlon. “I cannot use strong enough words to the judge to throw out this settlement and start from scratch.”