SALT LAKE CITY — For our Driven to Change reports, we receive a lot of questions and ideas from viewers on how we can make Utah's roads safer. But one question we have frequently received is, "Why doesn't Utah have ticketing cameras to catch drivers and help out law enforcement?"
It turns out the answer is complicated.
You may have seen red light cameras or fake cop cars that release a flash of bright light if you commit a violation. 24 states and the District of Columbia allow for the use of cameras in enforcing traffic laws.
According to Jake Fitisemanu from the Utah House of Representatives, there is work being done in the Beehive State to try and assist law enforcement on red light violators in particular. "The proposal I had was really to look at ways to allow our law enforcement to be assisted by this great technology that we have out here; it's impossible to have a police officer at every intersection," Fitisemanu explained.
In the most recent legislative session, Fitisemanu proposed a bill that would bring back so-called "photocops" to Utah. The system would take a photo of a vehicle's rear license plate and mail a ticket to the offender. This proposal was to position the cameras at the 10 most dangerous intersections and then use the cameras to gather data at first.
"It really is not a got ya type of thing," Fitisemanu stated. "As part of the proposal, there is a requirement that the public be notified, that this be on websites, this be on signage on the intersection to let people know this is enforced or this is enacted at this point."
For some drivers, like Christos Ayala, the idea serves as a perfect deterrent, ultimately making Utah's roads safer. "People really are either not really paying attention, or not really caring," Ayala said. "I think it's time to talk about it and to help alleviate the situation, specifically for people who aren't really obeying that."
The discussion has been started, and while the proposal received a lot of applause, there is still work to be done. "We will keep working on it until we get something through that can really help us address this," Fitisemanu claimed.
He tells FOX 13 News that while he has received mostly positive feedback on his proposal, some do have concerns regarding privacy issues. Fitisemanu says he has filed the bill to run in the next legislative session in 2026, but work will continue in the meantime to make the bill more palatable.
"The loss of one avoidable life is really too many, and that's why I am tackling this issue," Fitisemanu finished.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
