There aren't enough police officers with radar guns to catch enough scofflaws. But what if an automated system could do that?

Yes, folks, it's time to rethink the PhotoCop law.

You may recall that West Valley City experimented with photo radar in the 1990s. The device combines a camera and a radar, mounted together in a car parked at the side of the road. It automatically photographs a vehicle traveling above the speed limit. The photo includes the vehicle's speed, the date, time of day and location. The picture also shows the license plate and the driver.

Some people hated it, mostly because they got caught for speeding. They accused the city of using the devices as cash cows, and said that it was hard to get tickets dismissed when the city could not prove that the registered owner of the car was at the wheel.

The opponents created such a stink that the Legislature stepped in, writing a law that says photo radar may only be used in school zones, or in other areas that have a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less. Most important, the law says a police officer must be present with the radar unit. That requirement effectively killed the utility of the electronic traffic cops.

House Bill 219 would make it practical for cities to use automated photo radar again by removing the requirement that a police officer be present when it is operating.

There would be protections against false accusations. Cities would be required to provide a clear and simple process for dismissing citations if a photo does not show that the registered owner was driving a car, or if the owner could provide evidence of same.

Companies selling photo radar devices could not receive commissions based on the number of citations issued or a percentage of fines collected. Citations based on photo radar are not reported under the system that assigns points against a driver's record.

HB219 also would allow the use of cameras and sensors at intersections to cite drivers who run red lights. The accidents caused by people trying to beat the light are often deadly. Sandy City is so concerned about the problem that its police department currently is enforcing a zero-tolerance crackdown.

Ultimately, HB219 is not about an electronic Big Brother catching speeders or drivers who run red lights. It's about saving lives and preventing horrible injuries.