Red Light Camera News Editorial: Slamming the brakes on red-light cameras
http://www.presstelegram.com/opinions/ci_19557035
Editorial: Slamming the brakes on red-light cameras
Posted: 12/15/2011 04:50:07 PM PST
Updated: 12/15/2011 04:51:24 PM PST
The city of Gardena this week became the latest local city to end its failed red-light camera program. Motorists who care about safety, and their wallets, will surely be relieved.
Officials of the South Bay city voted to disconnect red-light cameras at 10 intersections mostly because of financial considerations. The number of citations had dropped in recent years, and the city was losing money in collections. It might have been worth it if the program was saving lives, but a police study that found the cameras didn't reduce collisions at those intersections.
Given these considerations, it was the only choice an intelligent city council could make.
Red-light cameras became popular in the last 10 years as private companies sold them to cites as a way to make money while improving traffic safety. But they never paid off as well as expected. Indeed, it turned out to be a $1-million-a-year cost for the city of Los Angeles, which ended its red-light camera program in July.
Worse still, there was credible evidence that the red-light cameras were making dangerous intersection events worse; motorists were reported to be slamming on their brakes at yellow lights rather than risk the expensive tickets (almost $500, including fees). Besides, by rejiggering the yellow lights to stay on a few seconds longer to clear intersections, the city could make dangerous intersections even safer without a costly program administered by an outside company.
L.A.'s decision may have played a role in the decreasing revenues for Gardena. When L.A. stopped its program, it was revealed that the city couldn't force drivers to pay the fine. With that crucial fact out in the open, it only made it harder for other cities like Gardena to collect on red-light camera citations.
Gardena joins a growing list of cities that have seen the light on this program -- and then pulled the plug. Other cities, including Pasadena, are pondering ending the program. In Long Beach, the cameras are still up but have been put on hold while the city considers whether to continue the program.
Hopefully, officials in those cities and other Southern California cities that still employ red-light cameras -- such as Inglewood and Hawthorne -- will see this a green light to dump them for good.
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