Red Light Camera News Editorial: County is right to reject red-light cameras.
Editorial: County is right to reject red-light cameras.
Suburban Life Publications
Posted May 24, 2011 @ 03:28 PM
Western suburbs — Just like a vigilant police officer patrolling traffic, a committee for the DuPage County Board has told municipalities to slow down.
The county’s Transportation Committee recently turned down two suggested policies for red-light cameras. These would have opened the door for municipal governments to install the cash-generating devices at county-controlled intersections patrolled by local officers.
Some committee members concluded the requests for additional cameras were being driven by the potential for increased revenue, not enhancing public safety. County Commissioner Don Puchalski of Addison, who heads the Transportation Committee, said in news reports that these towns never provided sufficient evidence that public safety is improved when red-light cameras are installed.
One proposal called for red-light cameras to be installed at county-controlled intersections where at least five preventable accidents occur each year. Even though municipalities claimed 120 such intersections met this criteria, the committee rejected the proposal by a 5-0 vote.
The other proposal recommended towns pay for permits to reimburse the county’s administrative costs for installing red-light cameras. Commissioner Jim Zay of Carol Stream was the only committee member to vote in favor of this proposal, which was defeated 4-1.
Puchalski hit the nail squarely on the head by saying towns have not proved their claims that red-light cameras enhance safety. The vast majority of tickets issued are for failure to make a complete stop before turning right on a red light — the traffic infraction that results in the least number of accidents.
We would have more respect for municipalities wishing to install more red-light cameras if they would simply admit that it’s all about the money. They aren’t fooling anyone with their unsubstantiated claims of improving public safety.
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