Still don't run that red light, please. Especially at train tracks.
Credit: Jesse Scott
Drivers across Broward County - and potentially the entire state of Florida - may want to keep an eye on a recent courtroom decision that’s putting red-light cameras back in the legal spotlight.
Earlier this month, Broward County Judge Steven P. DeLuca dismissed a red-light camera ticket issued in Sunrise and ruled that the Florida law underpinning many automated traffic citations may be unconstitutional. In a 21-page order, sourced by CBS 12 and dated March 3, the judge concluded the statute improperly shifts the burden of proof from the government to the vehicle owner.
Here’s the crux of the issue: under Florida’s current system, a red-light camera captures a vehicle entering an intersection after a signal turns red. The resulting citation is mailed to the vehicle’s registered owner — not necessarily the person driving. That owner must then either pay the fine or submit an affidavit identifying who was behind the wheel, as verified by Carscoops and Yahoo.
Judge DeLuca found that framework problematic. In his ruling and as reported by WFTV, he described red-light camera violations as “quasi-criminal,” meaning they carry penalties and findings of wrongdoing similar to criminal cases. Because of that classification, the court said the government should be required to prove who actually committed the violation rather than presuming the vehicle owner was responsible.
For now, the decision applies only to the specific case heard in Broward County. It does not automatically invalidate red-light cameras or tickets elsewhere in Florida. Cities across the state — including many in Broward — continue issuing camera citations under the current statute.
Still, the ruling is already drawing attention statewide. Legal experts, as sourced by Sun-Sentinel, say it could encourage drivers to challenge their own citations using the same constitutional argument. If prosecutors appeal and a higher court takes up the issue, the case could eventually shape how red-light camera enforcement works across Florida.
That’s significant given how widespread the systems are. Since Florida’s red-light camera law took effect in 2010, municipalities have installed cameras at intersections statewide, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in fines while supporters argue the devices improve safety.
In the short term, Broward drivers shouldn’t assume tickets are disappearing overnight. But in the long term, the ruling could spark a legal showdown over whether automated enforcement — a common sight at busy intersections from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando and well beyond — stands on solid constitutional ground.
For now, the red light remains yellow: proceed carefully.
