http://www.nwfdailynews.com/opinion/suddenly-36164-destin-telling.html

EDITORIAL: Destin is suddenly camera-shy

December 30, 2010 9:08 AM
The most telling objection to “red-light cameras,” which some cities have installed at traffic signals allegedly to photograph scofflaws, is that they have less to do with safety and more to do with padding government treasuries. For an example, look at what’s happening in Destin.

The Destin City Council decided recently to collect information about traffic violations from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office before agreeing to install any red-light cameras. Were the council members worried that the cameras wouldn’t prevent enough accidents? No. They were worried that the cameras wouldn’t generate enough money.

The cameras’ costs were speeding along like a New Year's Eve partier: $75,000 to $110,000 per “directional installation” for a vendor to set them up, $4,500 to $4,700 per month for a lease agreement, plus the hiring of somebody to hand out tickets to violators unlucky enough to be photographed.

“The city would have to have 60-plus violators just to make back the $4,500. … For the $4,700, you need 62-plus violators to break even,” said Councilman Larry Williges. “This could cost us quite a bit of money.”

Too much money, some Destin officials are starting to think.

Other governments think so, too. Officials in Loma Linda, Calif., unplugged their red-light cameras after calculating that the fines collected weren’t worth the program’s expense. Los Angeles determined its red-light program cost the city $2.5 million in 2008 and 2009 but hadn’t improved traffic flow.

Safety is another concern. Studies in Arizona, New Mexico and Canada concluded that red-light cameras cause rear-end accidents as motorists stop abruptly to avoid citations.

When the subject is a costly government commitment to red-light cameras, stopping abruptly is a good idea. Destin should hit the brakes.
 

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (registered users only)
	Add Comment Preview