Red Light Camera News Red-light cameras: It's all about the money
(Thanks to www.stpetecameras.org for the link).
Red-light cameras: It's all about the money
2:44 PM, Nov. 16, 2011 |
Written by
BOB INGLE
A report from the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group says some towns are willing to give up their authority to private companies in order to keep cash flowing from the notorious red light cameras that issue traffic tickets based on photos.
The report says some officials are so stupid or greedy — or both — they let private companies make decisions for them. That’s the epitome of sell-out. If private companies make public decisions, we don’t need town officials. “Automated traffic ticketing tends to be governed by contracts that focus more on profits than safety,” Jen Kim of PIRG said.
The report says about half the states have enabled use of automated traffic enforcement and, after residents object to them, municipalities have found themselves in legal trouble when they attempt to change or update the contracts.
In New Jersey, in what is supposed to be a five-year pilot project, 25 municipalities have signed on with American Traffic Solutions or Reflex as the private vendors, the PIRG report said.
Redflex and ATS both have been the subject of deals gone bad in contracts with other cities. The report detailed one example in Tempe, Ariz., where Redflex filed a lawsuit against the city for implementing a program where drivers could avoid fines by attending traffic school. In California, Bell Gardens signed a contract with Redflex that would penalize the city if it chooses to alter the length of its yellow lights.
“That is significant because traffic schools make for better drivers, although no ticket revenue can be collected, and traffic engineering alternatives, such as lengthening yellow lights, are the best way to reduce injuries from red-light running. However, those solutions too often get ignored because contractors and sometimes municipalities are more focused on increasing revenue from tickets,” the report said.
Last fall, it was discovered that the town of Glassboro, which has red-light cameras, had yellow lights that lasted less than the federal minimum of four seconds in 35 mph zones.
A Texas Transportation Institute study found that most red-light violations occur when drivers misjudge when the yellow light changes to red by less than a quarter of a second. If towns are really concerned with safety, they can make more of a difference by lengthening the time that a light stays yellow, or by delaying the green light at the cross street, the report notes.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski proudly boasts he authored the bill to bring the gadgets to New Jersey. He’s a deputy Assembly speaker and chairman of the state Democratic Party. But it is about more than money; there is a principle involved.
There is something basically wrong with putting profits before the ultimate goal of government, to protect citizens. Any mayor and council that bring these gadgets to your town, even if they learn from this report and reject clauses that limit township authority, should be kicked out on their butts. Some reports show such cameras increase accidents, especially rear-end collisions. One state has declared them unconstitutional. When they say this is about safety, they’re lying through their teeth. Is that who you want in office?
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Articles Menu
Find Info
Latest Comments
Member Login
