MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The City of Memphis backed off plans to begin issuing speeding camera citations in January after it became clear that Tennessee law limited their ability to make drivers pay.
The city installed 15 of these cameras in school zones and s-curves last year.
Although the city has already issued thousands of warnings to drivers, they haven’t yet begun issuing fines.
“It lacks some of the teeth that an ordinary summons would,” said Chief Deputy City Court Clerk Walter Person. “They do not apply to your credit report nor can they be used to apply points to your license.”
That’s because for that to happen in Tennessee, a police officer needs to write you a ticket. Cameras don’t count.
But attorney Brandon Hall said it would probably still be a good idea to pay anyway.
“If you don’t pay it, and then you get a legitimate ticket down the road from an officer for speeding or a red light, and you go to court, a prosecutor might actually hold that unpaid $50 ticket against you,” Hall said.
For now, the city will continue to send out warnings and hope that drivers heed them.
The city’s speeding cameras are located in the following places:
- Union Ave – Rembert to Morrison School Zone
- Whitney Ave – Mountain Terrace to Wingate School Zone
- Tillman St – McAdoo to Tillman Cove School Zone
- Kirby Pkwy – Raines Rd to Birchwalk School Zone
- Stratford Rd – Bowen to Marcel School Zone
- East Holmes Rd – Tulane to Elvis Presley Blvd School Zone
- Perkins Rd – Wooddale to Scottsdale School Zone and Reverse Curve
- North White Station Rd – Normandy to Heatherway School Zone
- Getwell Rd – Mallory to Elliston School Zone
- New Allen Rd – Hawkins Mill Rd to Prince of Peace Church Reverse Curve
- Tchulahoma Rd – Shannon Circle to 400 ft South of Christine Reverse Curve
- McLean Rd – Forrest to Faxon School Zone
- Quince Rd – Sulgrave to Solway School Zone
- Perkins Rd – 100 ft South of Chip to 100 ft North of Perkins Cove Reverse Curve
- Knight Arnold Rd – 600 ft East of Mendenhall to 200 ft East of Spencer Reverse Curve