Traffic Tickets: Portland's Camera Enforcement Strategy

Portland has fixed speed cameras that can issue tickets to drivers. These cameras are placed at locations with a history of speeding-related issues. The cameras are operated from marked police vans by trained officers and can take two photos per second. The registered owner of the speeding vehicle then receives a ticket in the mail. In 2020, Portland's fixed speed cameras issued 38,502 tickets, or about 105 per day.

Portland's fixed speed cameras issued 38,502 tickets in 2020, at an average of $170 per ticket

Portland has fixed speed cameras in place to monitor and enforce speed limits and reduce dangerous speeding. These cameras are installed at locations with a history of speeding-related issues and crashes. The cameras are an effective tool, proven to reduce injury crashes by 20% to 25% and total crashes by up to 49%.

In 2020, Portland's fixed speed cameras issued 38,502 tickets, averaging about 105 tickets per day. The average cost of each ticket was $170. This large number of citations highlights the inefficiency in the previous system, which required a sworn police officer to review each ticket, resulting in overtime costs for the Portland Police Bureau.

To address this issue, legislators passed House Bill 4105, which removed the requirement for police officers to review each ticket. Instead, non-police "duly authorized traffic enforcement agents" can now be appointed to review camera photos and issue citations. These agents will be trained and sworn in by a non-police agency, such as the transportation bureau. This change aims to reduce costs and free up police resources for other public safety priorities.

It is important to note that the purpose of these speed cameras is to change driver behaviour and reduce speeding, not to generate revenue. The money received from speeding tickets is used to cover program costs or fund safety improvements and programs on Portland's High Crash Network.

The city's 18 speed cameras have reduced speeding by 71% and top-end speeding by 94%

Portland has fixed speed cameras installed at various locations across the city. These cameras are placed at intersections and streets with a history of speeding-related issues and crashes. The primary objective of these safety cameras is to reduce speeding, prevent accidents, and save lives.

In 2020, Portland's fixed speed cameras issued 38,502 tickets, averaging 105 tickets per day. This large number of citations highlights the prevalence of speeding in the city. The presence of these cameras has had a significant impact on reducing speeding. According to Dana Dickman, the safety section manager for PBOT, the city's 18 speed cameras have reduced top-end speeding (more than 10 mph above the speed limit) by 94%. Additionally, these cameras have reduced all speeding by 71% on those corridors.

The effectiveness of these cameras in curbing speeding is evident, and they play a critical role in Portland's Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries. Speeding is a leading cause of deadly crashes in Portland, and even small increases in speed can significantly increase the risk of crashes and the severity of injuries. By enforcing speed limits, these cameras are helping to create safer roads and protect both drivers and pedestrians.

To further enhance the impact of these cameras, the city has taken steps to streamline the processing of tickets. The requirement for a sworn police officer to review each ticket has been removed, and non-police staff can now handle this task. This change not only reduces costs but also allows police officers to focus on public safety and more effectively utilize their time and skills.

Red light-running cameras have halved serious crashes at intersections

Portland has a number of speed and intersection safety cameras in place to enforce safe driving and reduce speeding. These cameras are installed at the highest-crash streets and intersections across the city, as speeding is a top contributing factor to deadly crashes in the region.

Intersection safety cameras are an effective tool to reduce red light-running, which is often deadly. In 2022, 1,149 people were killed in crashes involving red light-running in the US. Red light safety cameras can fill the void left by the impossibility of police presence at every intersection. Studies have shown that these cameras are effective in reducing both red light violations and crashes.

For example, an IIHS study found that red light safety cameras reduced the fatal red light-running crash rate of large cities by 21% and the rate of all types of fatal crashes at signalized intersections by 14%. A study in Oxnard, California, one of the first US communities to employ red light cameras, found that crashes at signalized intersections were reduced by 7% and injury crashes by 29%. Right-angle crashes, the type most associated with red light violations, were reduced by 32%, and right-angle crashes involving injuries fell by 68%.

In addition to the decrease in red light-running at camera-equipped sites, the effect carried over to nearby signalized intersections without cameras. A study in Arlington, VA, found significant reductions in red light violations at camera intersections one year after ticketing began. Violations occurring at least a second after the light turned red were 48% less likely than would have been expected without cameras.

Red light safety cameras have been shown to reduce serious crashes at intersections, with one study concluding that these cameras were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the rate of fatal red light-running crashes and a smaller but still significant reduction in the rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections.

House Bill 4105 removed the requirement for a sworn police officer to review each ticket

Portland has a history of using photo radar to enforce speed limits. Prior to 2015, state law only allowed photo radar systems to be operated in mobile vans for no more than four hours in one location with a uniformed police officer present. This resulted in inconsistent enforcement and a “decay effect”—drivers would speed once the van left.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has become frustrated with a major bottleneck around processing camera citations due in large part to police staffing issues. They also believe armed police officers sitting at a desk looking at images is not the most effective use of their time.

House Bill 4105, which would allow non-police bureau staff to review and process traffic camera images and citations, passed the Oregon House by a vote of 32 to 23 on Tuesday, February 8th, 2022. The bill gives cities the option to appoint a non-police “duly authorized traffic enforcement agent” to review camera photos and issue citations. These individuals would be trained, employed, and sworn-in by a non-police agency.

The bill will now have to pass through the Senate before it becomes law.

There are six ways to resolve a citation from a speed safety camera in Portland

Portland has fixed speed cameras installed at locations that have a history of speeding-related issues. These cameras are an effective tool to reduce speeding and enforce safe driving. In 2020, Portland's fixed speed cameras issued 38,502 tickets.

If you receive a citation from a speed safety camera in Portland, there are six ways to resolve it:

• Pay a fee to take a class and dismiss the citation: You can opt to take a traffic safety class and have your citation dismissed. However, you must meet certain eligibility criteria, including not having received a speeding ticket in the last three years, possessing a valid driver's license, and taking the class at least 14 days before your court date. The class is offered in multiple languages, and discounts are available for low-income individuals.
• Pay your citation online: You may be eligible for a reduced fine based on your driving history. You can pay your citation online through the Oregon Justice Department Courts ePay page, which will inform you if you qualify for a reduced fine.
• Enter a plea of no contest and send a letter of explanation: This option waives your right to a trial, and you will need to provide a written statement explaining the circumstances of the violation. You must submit this option before the day and time you are required to appear in court, and you will need to pay the full amount of the fine listed on your citation.
• Enter a plea of not guilty and request a trial: You can plead not guilty and request a trial by submitting a written request before the day and time specified on your citation. You can also enter a not guilty plea online.
• Request a trial with written statements only: Contact the court before the day and time of your required appearance to determine if you qualify for a trial by affidavit. If you do not qualify or the court does not offer this option, you must choose one of the other options listed.
• Submit a Certificate of Innocence (COI): If you were not the driver at the time of the citation, you can submit a Certificate of Innocence along with a photocopy of your driver's license within 40 days of the incident date. If it is determined that you were not the driver, the citation will be dismissed.

Frequently asked questions