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 Florida, the use of speed enforcement cameras, also known as red light cameras, is regulated by state statutes. Florida law permits the use of these cameras to issue citations to drivers who run red lights at intersections, but the use of cameras solely for the purpose of speed enforcement is not authorized. The Florida Statutes specifically address the use of traffic infraction detectors to enforce compliance with traffic light signals, under Florida Statute 316.0083, often referred to as the 'Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act.' However, there is no equivalent state law that authorizes the use of speed cameras for the purpose of issuing speeding tickets. Therefore, in Florida, speeding violations are typically enforced by law enforcement officers through traditional methods such as radar or laser speed detection devices, which require officer operation and adherence to calibration and training standards to ensure accuracy and legality of the speed measurements.