Ways the Government Watches You

License-plate cameras at intersectionsCredit: Joe Ravi

. In order to crack down on drivers running red lights or committing other traffic transgressions, many municipalities have installed cameras at intersections.

The camera snaps a picture of the offending vehicle, and based on license-plate information, the photo and an accompanying traffic ticket are sent to the car’s owner.

"The offense, by the way, is usually never entered in the driver's record, so their insurance rate usually will not increase for the violation — just a way for cities to make more revenue from drivers' mistakes,” said Vaughan.