Motorists caught speeding by automated traffic enforcement cameras in Iowa may find that ignoring a ticket can hurt their bank accounts in the long run.
At least three cities in Iowa that use automated traffic enforcement cameras say those who fail to pay what they owe or contest the citation may end up paying more.
Why did I get a ticket from speed cameras in Iowa?
An automated traffic enforcement camera can be used in Iowa to issue a citation if a motorist exceeds a speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour under House File 2681, signed into law in May by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The law provides cities and counties with rules on how these cameras can be used.
Cities in Iowa that use automated traffic enforcement include Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, LeClaire, Muscatine and more than a dozen others, according to a fiscal note from the Legislative Services Agency.
Des Moines temporarily turned off its cameras in June to prepare for the new law, but resumed sending citations on June 27.
What happens if I get a speed camera ticket in Iowa?
The owner of the vehicle recorded speeding will receive a citation via mail or electronically, according to the law.
Motorists should know that per law, the citation will not be considered by the Iowa Department of Transportation for driver’s license sanctions, and it won’t be considered by their insurance company when determining auto insurance rates.
How much are the fines for speed camera tickets in Iowa?
Fines motorists can receive if ticketed through a traffic camera have been standardized under the new law. The fines are:
- $75 for driving 11-20 miles per hour above the speed limit.
- $100 for driving 21-25 miles per hour above the speed limit.
- $250 for driving 26-30 miles per hour above the speed limit.
- $500 for driving more than 30 miles per hour above the speed limit.
- Speeding in a work zone will cause the fine to double. For example, driving 11-20 miles per hour above the speed limit in a work zone jumps to $150.
Can I get out of a speed camera ticket if I wasn't driving the car?
The new law does give owners a chance to prove they were not the ones driving the car at the time of the citation. The owner of the vehicle can submit evidence that they were not operating the car at the time of the violation. That person will need to provide the name and address of the person who was operating the car when the violation occurred, according to the law.
What happens if I don’t pay a speed camera ticket in Des Moines?
Recipients of a citation in Des Moines can choose to contest their violation in the following two ways, according to the automated traffic enforcement appeal process sent to the Des Moines Register in an email from Des Moines Police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek.
- Requesting an administrative proceeding in which you can have a hearing officer review your violation and why you disagree.
- Filing a municipal infraction case in court.
The latter can be done by requesting the city file a municipal infraction or if you don’t like the outcome of the administrative proceeding.
Consider that with the municipal infraction, the losing party (which could be you) would be responsible for court costs and a $95 filing fee. If you don’t appear for the hearing, you may be found liable as a result, according to the appeal process.
Citations require a response within 30 days, and Des Moines can pursue recovery through civil action, Parizek said.
How do other Iowa cities handle unpaid speed camera tickets?
Similar processes are at play in two other Iowa cities: Cedar Rapids and Davenport.
Cedar Rapids uses automated traffic enforcement to enforce speed violations including at four locations on Interstate 380, according to the eastern Iowa city's website.
A citation is sent to the Municipal Collections of America if a citation remains unpaid after 60 days, according to the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Municipal Collections of America will contact the registered owner to make payment arrangements. If the citation still isn’t paid with the collections agency, Cedar Rapids may file a municipal infraction in civil court within a year of the violation date, where a judge would determine who is liable, according to Cedar Rapids police. The recipient of a citation is responsible for paying associated filing fees and court costs in addition to the original amount owed if the court rules in favor of the city.
If the recipient of the citation still doesn’t pay after that, Cedar Rapids can use Iowa’s Setoff Program to collect what is owed, according to Cedar Rapids police. The program uses someone’s tax refunds or benefit payments, for example, to help pay off a debt, according to the program.
In Davenport, recipients can contest the ticket, but like Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, if you are found responsible, you may be paying more due to court costs and a police service fee, according to a citation provided to the Register in an email from Davenport Police Department’s media group.
Davenport can issue a municipal infraction for recipients who fail to pay their balance in full or request a municipal infraction be filed to contest their citation within the time frame given on the violation. A late fee of $25 is added to unpaid tickets after 60 days, and a municipal infraction will come with $100 court costs and fees in addition to the original ticket amount, according to the citation.
Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
Local Iowa State
Most Popular
Comments / 0