Toledo Traffic Camera Tickets: How Many Before Consequences?

If you have received a camera ticket in Toledo, there are four ways to pay your fine. You can pay online, by phone, by mail, or in person. To pay by phone, call 419-936-3650, ext. 3. Phone lines are open 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM Monday through Friday and 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on weekends. To pay by mail, send a check to the Toledo Municipal Clerk of Court at 555 North Erie Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604. Be sure to include your ticket or case number in the memo line of the check.

Toledo's camera-issued speeding tickets

The location with the most camera-issued speeding tickets was northbound Douglas at University Hills Boulevard, on the edge of the University of Toledo's campus. This single camera accounted for 31% of all camera-issued speeding tickets in 2016, a figure that has increased by 15% from the previous year. The high number of tickets at this location has left authorities puzzled, as the camera is clearly visible, and the speed limit is posted.

While the camera program aims to improve road safety, it has faced legal challenges. In the Magsig v. The City of Toledo case, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that municipal courts have exclusive jurisdiction over red-light camera violations. As a result, the city had to switch the appeals process to the municipal court and dismiss all existing appeals. Additionally, the program has been criticised for its lack of deterrence, as there is no officer present when the violation occurs.

Despite the legal challenges, the city of Toledo continues to operate the camera program, believing it helps make the streets safer. The automated traffic enforcement cameras are intended to slow down speeders and reduce the number of drivers running red lights, ultimately saving lives. However, drivers should be aware of the locations of these cameras and drive responsibly to avoid penalties.

Red-light camera violations

In Toledo, red-light cameras are placed on the side or corner of intersections to capture images of vehicles that run red lights. In 2016, Toledo's 43 fixed-location traffic cameras caught 14,674 vehicles for red-light violations.

In 2020, the red-light camera program was suspended until further notice following a decision by the Ohio Supreme Court in Magsig v. The City of Toledo. The Court ruled that municipal courts have "exclusive jurisdiction" over red-light camera violations, striking down the city's administrative hearings process. The city law director is working to transition the appeals process to the municipal court, and any appeals currently in the system or filed after the decision will be dismissed.

The red-light camera program in Toledo has faced legal challenges and was previously suspended in 2020 due to lawsuits. The program has been controversial, with some arguing that it is an effective tool for improving road safety, while others claim it is merely a form of taxation that does little to deter speeding without an officer present.

As of 2020, the Toledo City Council committee was discussing the possibility of reintroducing red-light and speeding cameras, this time with increased signage and a more transparent appeals process through the court system. The proposed ordinance seeks to repeal penalties for automated red-light system violations and enact new provisions for the use of hand-held, manually operated, and stationary photo-enforcement devices. The penalties for violating the red-light devices under the new ordinance would be $120 with no points levied on a license.

Handheld camera violations

In Toledo, handheld camera speed enforcement has been a controversial issue. In 2018, some residents complained about the way the Toledo Police were operating their handheld speed camera program. One incident involved an officer who was spotted purportedly hiding while running the camera. The police department responded that their policy is to be visible and that the officer in question was testing the camera in bad weather and had moved to get out of the rain.

The Toledo Police Department's philosophy regarding handheld camera enforcement is to be seen and to make their presence known to encourage drivers to slow down. Lieutenant Jeff Sulewski of the Toledo Police Department stated that they "want to do it where people can see the car and can see the officer." However, some residents remain opposed to the program regardless of the visibility of the officers.

In 2020, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down a key part of Toledo's red-light camera program, which included handheld cameras. The Court ruled that the city's administrative hearings for appeals on red-light camera violations were unlawful and that municipal courts had "exclusive jurisdiction" over such cases. As a result, the city suspended its red-light and handheld camera violations program until further notice.

The revised program, which was set to start in April 2021, included fewer handheld camera patrols. The number of stationary camera locations was increased by 10, with the spots determined by the Toledo Police. The citations remained at $120, and the city offered a payment plan for offenders.

Traffic camera locations

Traffic cameras are typically placed either on top of a traffic light or on the side/corner of an intersection. While traffic cameras do not issue tickets, red-light and speed cameras do. These are strategically placed to improve road safety by discouraging reckless driving behaviors.

Toledo, Ohio, has 43 fixed-location traffic cameras. The camera on northbound Douglas at University Hills Boulevard, on the northeastern edge of the University of Toledo's main campus, yielded the most tickets during 2016. Overall, the cameras that year caught 29,610 vehicles traveling substantially over the speed limit and 14,674 vehicles for red-light violations.

The camera with the second-highest number of speeding tickets is located on Alexis Road at Whitmer Drive, just west of Whitmer High School. This camera has held second or third place for the last two years. The fixed cameras at this location are set up to enforce the 20-mph school zone speed limit for 80 minutes in the morning and 70 minutes in the afternoon.

Another notable location for red-light violations is Cherry Street at Delaware Avenue, where the number of northbound drivers running the red light more than doubled, and southbound violations rose by 73% in 2016.

For real-time traffic updates and to view live traffic cameras in Ohio, you can download the OHGO app on your smartphone.

Paying camera-issued tickets

If you have received a camera-issued ticket in Toledo, there are four ways to pay your fine.

Firstly, you can pay online by looking up your case on the Toledo Clerk of Court's case lookup screen. Once you have found your case number, click on it and scroll to the bottom of the page to the 'Amount Defendant Owes' section. Check the 'Pay Online' box and click the 'Pay Online Now' button. You will then be taken to the online payment portal to complete your payment.

Secondly, you can pay over the phone by calling 419-936-3650, ext. 3. Phone lines for payments are open 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Thirdly, you can pay by mail by sending a cheque to the Toledo Municipal Clerk of Court, 555 North Erie Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604. Be sure to include your ticket or case number in the memo line of the cheque.

Finally, you can pay your ticket in person by visiting the counter in the criminal/traffic division at the same address listed above. The opening hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

It is important to note that there have been legal challenges to Toledo's red-light and speed camera programs, with the Ohio Supreme Court ruling in 2020 that municipal courts have "exclusive jurisdiction" to handle red-light camera violations. This may impact the process for paying or appealing camera-issued tickets in the future.

Frequently asked questions