The Jalisco Transportation Department (Semov) is modifying its enforcement policies amid growing concern at a massive surge in the number of tickets issued to motorists caught on camera driving above the speed limit in the past few years.
The state earned 156 million pesos from 404,248 tickets issued through speed cameras in 2013. Those numbers mushroomed to 429,000 million pesos from 822,240 tickets last year.
The recent announcement that Semov will employ another 22 mobile speed cameras on various city avenues prompted criticism that the state government is turning the network into a “tax collection” program.
Last week, Semov released five new measures aimed at calming public concerns.
1. On their first speeding offense, drivers now will only be issued with a warning. Repeat offenders will face fines dependent on the speeds they were detected traveling.
2. Under the new regulations, motorists must be advised of the presence of speed cameras/radar traps at least one kilometer prior to their location.
3. A new website will allow drivers to pay fines online, check the status of their infraction and register complaints.
4. All existing and new speed camera equipment will be verified and calibrated to exacting standards.
5. Female Semov officers will launch a campaign to spread the word about the new changes.
There are currently 32 fixed and nine mobile speed cameras in use in Jalisco. Another ten are installed at traffic lights, while two more can be employed on the dashboards of patrols cars.