Under new federal guidance issued Wednesday, states can now tap billions of federal highway dollars for roadway safety programs such as automated traffic enforcement. They are being told that cameras that photograph speeding vehicles are an established way to help bring down rising traffic deaths…

Sometimes dubbed “speed traps,” automated traffic enforcement can rake in millions of dollars in ticket revenue for local communities but has spurred backlash and isn’t widely embraced. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates only about 159 communities make widespread use of speed cameras, even after the National Transportation Safety Board in 2017 urged greater use of them to deter crashes. Motorists often complain speed cameras can be inaccurate, but are almost impossible to dispute in court. Eight states specifically forbid the use of speed cameras, while another two dozen or so have no specific legislation to support their use.