Due to limited resources many states use speed enforcement cameras—also known as photo or video enforcement—to take a digital photograph or video of a vehicle (and its license plate) that violates the speed limit. The use of speed enforcement cameras to issue speeding tickets or citations (mailed to the driver) has been controversial, with claims that it violates Constitutional rights.

Laws vary from state to state and in some states speed enforcement cameras are a permitted enforcement tool; in some states they are prohibited; and in some states they are prohibited unless permitted by a local ordinance (city or town).

To measure the speed of a moving vehicle and issue speeding tickets by photo enforcement, police departments generally use photo or video radar that relies on radio signals and the Doppler Effect or photo and video LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology that relies on lasers rather than radio waves. These devices require training on their proper use and regular calibration to be accurate.

In the state of Delaware, speed enforcement cameras are not widely used for issuing speeding tickets. Delaware law permits the use of red light cameras at certain intersections to capture images of vehicles running red lights, but the state does not have a specific statute that authorizes the use of speed cameras for the purpose of speed enforcement. While some states have embraced the technology for speed enforcement, Delaware has not adopted a broad policy or law that allows for the use of speed cameras statewide. It is important for drivers to be aware that even though speed cameras are not commonly used, traditional methods of speed enforcement by police officers are in effect, and speeding violations can lead to citations based on direct observation and the use of radar or LIDAR devices by trained law enforcement officers.