Automated Speed Enforcement HandoutCopyrighted
February 5, 2024
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 019.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Automated Speed Enforcement Handout
SUMMARY: City Manager providing a copy of the Automated Speed Enforcement
Handout.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
New Handout on Automated Speed Enforcement Supporting Documentation
AUTOMATED
SPEED
ENFORCEMENT
Traffic deaths in Iowa reached a seven-year peak
a in 2023, up by 10% from the previous year.
Excessive speed is cited as a factor in most
Al injury and fatality crashes. If a driver is engaged in
C another bad action (texting while driving, driving
O-0
impaired, etc.), excessive speed increases the
chances they are involved in a crash.
"Excessive" speeds are only getting higher, as
QIowa State Patrol officers have cited nearly 4,000
o drivers for going more than 100 miles per hour in
the past three years.
A 2023 traffic study analyzed 19 sections
of Dubuque streets over 48-hour periods.
Of the nearly 134,000 vehicles observed,
an average of nearly 17% were traveling at
least 11 MPH over the speed limit. Of those
speeding vehicles, over 1,100 were going at
least 31 MPH over the speed limit. In one
section of Dubuque's Northwest Arterial,
51 % of vehicles were traveling at least 10
MPH over the speed limit.
WHY ASE?
Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) is a
proactive way to address excessive speed.
Studies have been nearly unanimous in their findings
that ASE reduces overall speeds and both fatal and
severe injury crashes.
ASE is a "force multiplier" for local police departments
struggling to fill vacant positions, allowing enforcement
in times when and locations where officers cannot be
present.
By widely publicizing the presence of ASE, police can
influence driver behavior before they get behind the
wheel. If drivers know cameras will be present, they
are less likely to drive dangerously.
Cedar Rapids had been averaging five fatal crashes
per year on a portion of Interstate 380 prior to the
installation of ASE cameras. In the 10 years since,
there has been just one fatality along the same stretch
of roadway.
In Montgomery County, Maryland, 95% of drivers
reported they were aware of the ASE cameras, while
76% said they had reduced their speeds because of
the cameras
r
Camera locations will be clearly communicated
to drivers via signage, social media, website, and
notifications to media.
Citations will not be enforced on vehicles travelling
within 10 miles of the posted speed limit. Vehicles
observed between 11 and 20 miles per hour over
will receive a courtesy waiver on their first offense.
A separate structure
exists for "Under 45 MPH
Speed Limit and Undivided
Highway with 45 MPH
Speed Limit" that starts
with enforcement at 11-75
MPH over the speed limit
with a first offense courtesy
ticket mailed with no fine
and subsequent voluntary
community service options.
Vehicle owners will have the opportunity to
contest or challenge violations.
Citations will not be reported to the Iowa
Department of Transportation and will not
be considered "moving violations" that count
against a driver's record.
In most circumstances, offenders will have the
option to perform community service to reduce
their fine amount by half.
Fines collected through ASE in Dubuque will
be used to further traffic safety efforts through
enforcement, education, and engineering
programs.
PLANNED VIOLATION
STRUCTURE
DIVIDED HIGHWAYS WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT OR GREATER
3RD &
3RD OFFENSE
MPH OVER
1ST OFFENSE
2ND OFFENSE
SUBSEQUENT
COMMUNITY
SPEED LIMIT
CIVIL PENALTY
CIVIL PENALTY
OFFENSE CIVIL
SERVICE OPTIONS
PENALTIES
Courtesy Ticket
Community Service
16-20
Mailed (No Fine)
$75
$175
50% Discount
($87.50)
21-25
$150
$175
$200
NA
26-30
$175
$200
$225
NA
31+
$200
$225
$250
NA
Low-income individuals have additional voluntary community service options to lower penalties.
Construction and School Zone enforcement starts at 6-10 MPH over the speed limit.