TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Who foots the bill for a red light camera violation if the driver isn’t the owner of the car?
Proving you’re not at fault isn’t as easy as you’d think.
Red light camera citations will set you back $158. By law, the citations are sent to the vehicle’s registered owner. If more than one person is on the registration, the first person listed gets the citation. That person is responsible for paying the fine.
The only way to avoid payment is to prove someone else was driving. A sworn affidavit must be submitted within 30 days and has to include the name of the driver, that person’s address, and his or her birthday. If the driver’s license number is known, that should be included too. That person will then receive the citation. However, if it’s not paid, the owner of the car isn’t off the hook and must pay up.
If the car that ran the red light was stolen, a copy of a police report to prove it was a stolen vehicle must accompany the sworn affidavit.
While red light camera violations don’t result in points on the owner’s driver’s license, a failure to pay the fine will result in the owner receiving a Uniform Traffic Citation. Depending on the owner’s driving record, the citation – which is treated like a traffic ticket – could be subject to points being added, and that could mean higher car insurance or, if there are already too many points on the license, a suspension of the license.
Read Florida’s law regarding Red-Light Camera citations here.
Have a traffic question or a Road Rant? Send it to traffic reporter Meredyth Censullo at mcensullo@wfla.com or contact her on Facebook at WFLA Meredyth.