美国安全倡导者指出，Flock Safety公司部署的自动化车牌识别摄像头因安装方式不当而构成道路风险。[1]这些摄像头通常被安装在缺乏防撞保护的金属杆上，距离路面过近且外观为黑色，难以被驾驶者及时发现，违反了联邦和州级的道路安全标准。[1]联邦公路管理局规定，位于"清晰区"内的路边支撑结构必须具备防撞性能、易于屈服或被防撞垫保护的特征。[1]俄亥俄州交通部则明确要求，在无路缘设施上的车牌识别器应距离行驶道路边缘至少8英尺，但实地调查发现涉案摄像头仅距离约2英尺。[1]
Flock在美国已部署约8万至10万台摄像头，覆盖超过6000个社区。[1]安全倡导者Steve Eimers在伊利县俄亥俄州的调查中发现，仅有一台Flock摄像头安装了防撞装置。[1]鉴于2024年美国机动车与固定障碍物碰撞占全部车祸死亡事故的26%，这一问题尤为令人关注。[1]Flock公司发言人Paris Lewbel表示，公司"不同意定期安装违反安全要求"的说法，并计划对其网络中的摄像头杆安装情况进行审查。[1]
U.S. safety advocates have raised concerns about the installation practices of Flock Safety's automated license plate recognition cameras, warning that their placement violates federal and state road safety standards and creates hazards for drivers.[1] The cameras, which Flock has deployed across approximately 80,000 to 100,000 units covering more than 6,000 communities nationwide, are frequently mounted on metal poles that lack crash protection features, are positioned too close to roadways, and are painted black in ways that make them difficult for drivers to see.[1]
Federal Highway Administration regulations require roadside structures within the "clear zone" to have crash-resistant properties, be able to yield upon impact, or be shielded by protective barriers.[1] In Ohio, the Department of Transportation mandates that license plate readers on roadways without curbs must be set back at least 8 feet from the edge of the traveled road—yet the cameras in question were found to be positioned only approximately 2 feet away.[1] Safety advocate Steve Eimers discovered that among Flock cameras in Erie County, Ohio, only one had been installed with crash protection equipment.[1] Motor vehicle collisions with fixed roadside objects accounted for 26 percent of fatal traffic crashes nationwide in 2024.[1]
Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel disputed the characterization, stating the company "disagrees with the claim that it regularly installs camera poles that violate safety requirements" and announced plans to review camera pole installations throughout its network.[1]