Local Lawmakers Again Push for Bill Criminalizing Crash-Scene Photography

[Twitchin Kitten]

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What do you guys think of this?

The part I highlighted in bold I can agree with. This is what the mother of the dead girl wants, but I think our legislators have gone too far and took a bigger grab of freedom here.

Local Lawmakers Again Push for Bill Criminalizing Crash-Scene Photography <--click

After seeing their sponsored bills aiming to protect accident victims' privacy die in committee in both houses of the state legislature last session, the delegates for New Jersey's 9th district are again pushing to make it a crime for emergency workers to photograph those involved in crashes.

Republican state Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assembly members Brian E. Rumpf and DiAnne C. Gove have put the bill forward in the Senate and the Assembly, and this time hope to see it signed into law.

"We're starting earlier in the process," said Connors, "and we have about 5,000 signatures on a petition from individuals in various parts of the state who support the legislation. We'll carry that all to the committee chairs so they can understand the public support behind this bill."

The legislation was spurred by an Oct. 2009 incident in Barnegat. Cathy Bates, a Manchester woman, was killed in a car accident on Route 72 in the township. In the minutes after the crash, a volunteer first responder took photographs of Bates and posted them to Facebook before Bates' family members knew about the accident, said the 9th district delegation in a press release.

Since then, Bates' mother, Stafford resident Lucille Bates-Wickward, has advocated for a law that would make it a crime for first responders to distribute photographs or recordings of an accident without a family's consent.

In a time when widespread use of social media means a photo or video can be posted and viewed by millions very quickly, protecting vulnerable people from exposure is necessary, said Connors.

"We obviously believe that this is a priority," said Connors, "but the fact is there are a lot of legislators that are still unaware that this is an issue."

Connors said he has sent a letter to the chair of the State Senate's Law and Public Safety Committee, pointing out the thousands of signatures of support the bill has garnered since it was first introduced. Connors is still awaiting a reply, but he said he and Rumpf and Gove aren't going to stop working to get the bill passed.

"This is high on our list of things to do," he said.

[LKTraz]

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It is common practice for many emergency services to photograph accident scenes for purposes of analysis and education. It is NOT accepted practice for those photos to be posted for public view and damn sure not posting on social media sites.

I agree with legislation to prevent the posting of these photos to a public access site without prior consent but not to any laws restricting ANY crash scene photography.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Exactly.

I think the local gov't is taking advantage to use this to overstep their boundry.

[LKTraz]

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Overzealous lawmakers.....as usual.

[Rhubarb]

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It is common practice for many emergency services to photograph accident scenes for purposes of analysis and education. It is NOT accepted practice for those photos to be posted for public view and damn sure not posting on social media sites.

I agree with legislation to prevent the posting of these photos to a public access site without prior consent but not to any laws restricting ANY crash scene photography.

Agreed LKTraz.

Photography must be only used to clarify the facts of an incident and nothing more. The person who abused the use of photography should have not only been reprimanded but stripped of his/her post and publicly humiliated for such a inconsiderate attitude.

That poor family

[LKTraz]

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One of the best tools for firefighters was the advent of personal video cameras.

Once they became more common we began to film almost every scene we responded to. The result was the ability to review not only what was on the scene initially but also the actions of the responders and the results of those actions.

This became an essential tool in improving actions taken at subsequent calls. We could see both good and bad actions and train toward improvement in performance.

I was involved in two mass casualty scenes where recordings of the event were used to later analyze the response and we learned some very good lessons from them. For one thing, we found out that the accepted methods of stabilizing vehicles contained unseen hazards and thus, new and safer methods were developed. This led to decreased risk to both responders and victims as well.

To ban crash scene photography and filming would only be taking a giant step backward.

Yes, punishing the dumbass who posted the pictures is quite appropriate and legislation laying out SPECIFIC rules, including penalties for non compliance with regard to the publishing of such film or photos is prudent. Banning all film/photos is a thoughtless knee jerk reaction.

[Rhubarb]

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One of the best tools for firefighters was the advent of personal video cameras.

Once they became more common we began to film almost every scene we responded to. The result was the ability to review not only what was on the scene initially but also the actions of the responders and the results of those actions.

This became an essential tool in improving actions taken at subsequent calls. We could see both good and bad actions and train toward improvement in performance.

I was involved in two mass casualty scenes where recordings of the event were used to later analyze the response and we learned some very good lessons from them. For one thing, we found out that the accepted methods of stabilizing vehicles contained unseen hazards and thus, new and safer methods were developed. This led to decreased risk to both responders and victims as well.

To ban crash scene photography and filming would only be taking a giant step backward.

Yes, punishing the dumbass who posted the pictures is quite appropriate and legislation laying out SPECIFIC rules, including penalties for non compliance with regard to the publishing of such film or photos is prudent. Banning all film/photos is a thoughtless knee jerk reaction.

Totally agree with everything you say.
There was a horrendous crash at Bonfire Night (5th November) on the M4, CCTV footage was put on the news the first night but withdrawn with an apology to the families affected. Very little was broadcasted fortunately. Everyone that took video was asked to give it up for the very purpose you state. Everyone willing gave up phone video and photo's.
The blame for the multi-pile up was established quickly. The area is well known for fogs, combined with an unapproved bonfire party by the motorway the visibility was reduced to nil.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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If you click the link and read some of the comments, you'll find out here a lot of people, use these images for nothing more than to make money. "Joe's" comment about his wife's fatal crash is nothing more than despicable on the part of the off duty firefighter. He didn't go there to help, he went to make money on a tragedy.

[Twilla]

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I'm surprised an EMT had enough time on their hands to be taking photos since... you know... they're supposed to actually be trying to give medical assistance.

"Oh, they're dead. Think I'll take a photo!"

I don't get it.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Usually it would be taking photos after the assistance is given. THAT would be normal. Anyone who does not help and takes photos instead is a douche-bag.

Some of the larger squads have a photographer that is there to only do that, take photos for investigative purposes.