Dear Editor,
This opinion is written in response to/support of the opinion expressed by Stephanie Fleming in the Aug. 30, issue of The Current, relating to red light cameras. I agree fully with Ms. Fleming that it is a slippery slope we tread when we begin handing over legal determinations to technology. She has already addressed the constitutional infringements these cameras present but I would like to present a few other issues with these “techno-cops.”
First, there is evidence that suggests that traffic cams tend to work against their supposed intent and increase rather than decrease the number of accidents. According to the story at http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20080410/011257809.shtml, “…because people slam on their brakes to stop in time, leading to rear-ending accidents. Time and time again studies have shown that if cities really wanted to make traffic crossings safer there’s a very simple way to do so: increase the length of the yellow light and make sure there’s a pause before the cross traffic light turns green (this is done in some places, but not in many others).
Speaking of yellow light times, there are some very specific regulations regarding them put in place and standardized by the Institute of Transportation Engineers, http://www.ite.org/default.asp. There is a specific formula used to determine the minimum safe length a yellow light should last. I won’t go into the details but you can see them for yourself. The chart and formula used for determining these times is at the Florida Department of Transportations website here: http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Doc_Library/PDF/3%206r6_10.pdf
I see these cameras as nothing more than a means for states and local municipalities to try and squeeze more revenue out of motorists, often illegally. In a report on The National Motorists Association Blog (http://blog.motorists.org/6-cities-that-were-caught-shortening-yellow-light-times-for-profit/) 6 cities across the US were caught tampering with the timing of yellow lights in order to catch more “light runners” for profit. You can read the stories for yourself at the provided link but in Chattanooga, TN alone, “…The city of Chattanooga was forced to refund $8,800 in red light cameras tickets issued to motorists trapped by an illegally short yellow time. The refund only occurred after a motorist challenged his citation by insisting that the yellow light time of 3.0 seconds was too short. LaserCraft, the private vendor that runs the camera program in return for a cut of the profits, provided the judge with a computer database that asserted the yellow was 3.8 seconds at that location.
The judge then personally checked the intersection in question was timed at three seconds while other nearby locations had about four seconds of yellow warning. City traffic engineer John Van Winkle told Bean that “a mix up with the turn arrow” was responsible and that the bare minimum for the light should be 3.9 seconds.”
In a report a little more recent and a lot closer to home by the Miami Herald online dated July 27,(http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/28/2334930/davie-considers-getting-out-of.html), it seems the City of Davie has had second thoughts about its traffic camera program. Not due to safety concerns but rather due to a lack of profitability. The city entered into a contract, also with a third party vendor called American Traffic Solutions that they now want out of because in order to pay ATS their monthly fee of $4,750 per camera, those cameras would need to generate more than 1000 tickets per month just to break even. Who ran the numbers on this stimulus plan before the town signed off on it?
It seems there is an underlying agenda these days between private business and government at all levels to enact new legislation and programs in the name of safety when they are really unnecessary and unashamed tactics to produce profits. I’m all for utilizing technology to improve life but if the concern here really is safety and protecting life how about increasing the yellow light times and if there are really some problem intersections (which I have no doubt there are) why not hire a few extra officers to monitor those trouble spots? Can I get an AMEN on jobs creation?!
Respectfully,
Ray Bardin
Computer science major
