Driving News Roundup: September 16, 2011

This is a weekly feature on the NMA Blog, running each Friday, where we highlight seven of the most interesting driving news stories of the week.

Arizona: Peoria will deactivate red-light cameras on October 3rd
The city of Peoria will not renew its contract with Redflex Traffic Systems after learning from police that crashes at monitored intersections actually increased during the three-year pilot program.

California: Citizen ticketed for directing traffic after police fail to in South Pasadena
When a major traffic light in the area went out Thursday morning, Alan Ehrlich took matters into his own hands, directing traffic at Fair Oaks and Huntington avenues.

New Mexico: Redflex the only player paying to sway voters on red-light camera initiative
A campaign to convince Albuquerque voters to support the red-light cameras on an Oct. 3 ballot initiative has been bankrolled almost entirely by the company that profits millions from the fines.

Florida: 31 Daytona Beach red-light tickets dismissed for lack of documentation
A traffic hearing officer put the brakes on 31 tickets captured by red-light cameras after a city attorney came to court Tuesday without the documents to back the violations.

Tennessee: One of Bluff City’s two speed cameras shut down due to legality concerns
One of Bluff City’s two speed cameras on U.S. Highway 11E has been temporarily shut down amid concerns it might have illegally been issuing tickets for the past 2½ months.

Group seeks national registry for historic cars
The Historic Vehicle Association wants to change the fact that there are national historic registries for places, boats, planes, and trains, but nothing to protect vehicles with historic value.

Washington: Anti-Camera activists turn in signatures at Redmond City Hall
Redmond activist Scott Harlan joined Washington state initiative guru Tim Eyman in making local history Tuesday afternoon as the two men and a small group of supporters handed in a petition calling for the city’s first-ever voter initiative, which would ask voters whether red-light cameras should be banned in Redmond.

To see more stories like the ones above, check out our NMA Driving News site. Each weekday we update the site with news stories that are interesting and/or informative for drivers like you.