When the Camera Clicks, Justice Sticks: Objectivity on the Road

Racial profiling in traffic stops and the escalation of some police-motorist interactions to violence are deeply concerning societal challenges. Communities are grappling with ways to foster trust and ensure equitable treatment. Emerging as a promising tool to mitigate these critical issues are automated enforcement technologies. By removing human discretion from routine traffic enforcement, these systems hold the potential to reduce racial bias and decrease the likelihood of dangerous confrontations.¹

The Problem with Discretionary Stops

Traditional traffic enforcement, reliant on officers pulling over vehicles for violations, has long been a flashpoint for accusations of racial profiling. Studies consistently demonstrate that Black drivers are disproportionately stopped and cited compared to their White counterparts, even when accounting for driving behavior². This "driving while Black" phenomenon erodes public trust, creates feelings of injustice, and contributes to a climate of fear, particularly within marginalized communities. Additionally, any traffic stop, regardless of its initial intent, carries an inherent risk of escalation, sometimes leading to severe injuries or even fatalities².

Automated Enforcement: A Mechanism for Impartiality

Automated enforcement systems, such as red-light cameras and speed cameras, fundamentally alter this dynamic by replacing human judgment with objective technology. When a vehicle runs a red light or exceeds the speed limit, the camera captures the violation, and a citation is generated based solely on the objective evidence. There is no human officer making a subjective decision about who to pull over, eliminating the opportunity for implicit or explicit bias to influence the enforcement proc