Cancún Councilwoman Opposes Photo-Fine Plan Ahead of Cabildo Vote

Cancún, Quintana Roo — A proposal to install cameras and other technology to issue automated traffic fines in Cancún went before the Benito Juárez city council on Monday, where it already faces opposition over how the reform to the municipal traffic regulations is being pushed through.

Councilwoman Miriam Morales Vázquez, who chairs the commission on family development, vulnerable groups, and Indigenous and Afro-Mexican affairs, said she will vote against the measure, arguing that a change of this magnitude should not be approved as an urgent or obvious matter without first being studied and debated in the council’s committees.

Under the proposal, a camera would detect an alleged traffic violation, generate a fine and then mail it to the registered owner of the vehicle.

One of the main objections is that a vehicle’s owner could end up paying for a violation committed by someone else behind the wheel.

The plan also includes mechanisms for unpaid photo-fines to affect other procedures, meaning they could become an obstacle to registering a vehicle or obtaining a driver’s license.

Morales Vázquez said questions remain about how drivers would be notified, what mechanisms they would have to defend themselves or challenge a penalty, and in which cases plates or documents could be withheld.

She also asked what would happen in the event of an error by the camera, in the vehicle’s records, or in identifying the person responsible for the violation.

Another point she raised is the involvement of the Quintana Roo State Mobility Institute (IMOVEQROO) and private contractors in running the system, along with the intent to channel revenue from the fines into the state mobility fund.

The councilwoman said those aspects must be explained and analyzed before the municipality commits its powers and resources.

Morales Vázquez made clear that she does not oppose using cameras or new technology to improve road safety, but argued that such tools should be aimed at preventing accidents and raising awareness among drivers — citing speeding, running red lights and other reckless behavior that the devices could document.

She warned, however, that the purpose of the system should not be to boost revenue, and said clear rules, proper notification procedures and guarantees allowing residents to contest a possible penalty must be established first.

“Cancún does need more road safety. What it doesn’t need is a cash register disguised as a camera,” she said, reiterating that she will vote against the proposal.

The reform to the traffic regulations was set to go before the council on Monday, leaving its members to decide whether the new photo-fine system moves forward.