Red-Light Camera, argument.?

[karlitis]

Hi there, my assignment was to list some of the issues and then propose solutions to the red-light camera epidemic -- but I have to make my argument 500 words or more... This is what I have, about 300 words, and I need help...

In recent months, red-light cameras have plagued our city, and numerous complaints have risen from the matter. The ten red-light cameras in St. Petersburg have been strategically placed with good intentions from Mayor Foster after careful speculation of car-accidents and casualties due to red-light running; though, there really has been no evidence that support the cameras have been effective.
These red-light runners still charge rampantly through the city, and even the deterrent of the camera isn’t enough to stop them – as evident in the increase of traffic violations at these intersections – the absence of direct law-enforcement is the problem.
Real cops and immediate ticket/fining is one solution. This immediate solution would cut back a few problems: the immediate fear of a ticket would be more of a deterrent than the cameras that are really slow to send out a ticket; people that continue to run the red lights will be properly ticketed, rather than a ticket being sent to the wrong person because of no certifiable witness, or worse even, a ticket being sent for driving on a green light.
Another possible solution: upgrading the cameras.
If a professional were to reconfigure the motion sensors and timers, also if the camera were upgraded to a finer quality, at least we could ensure the tickets were going to the right people for the right reasons. The motion-blur has made the differentiation between zeroes and ‘O’s, as well as other possible letter confusions, and the wrong people are being sent these tickets.
Additionally, the sensors must be off, because there have been a few problems with people getting ticketed for driving on green, or legally making a right turn on a red-light.

[ammi]

A few other points you can expound upon.

1. Red light cameras have been tied to INCREASED read-end collisions at those intersections. Even though following too close is a violation in itself, the red light cameras have caused the leading car driver to unnecessarily panic stop to avoid the ticket. The trailing driver would presume the lead driver would progress through the light from a point that is close enough to the intersection that a violation would not have occurred had they proceeded through the intersection. But this statement depends upon who is funding the rear-end collision study. You can find reports that rear-end collisions increase and decrease.

2. As for the confusion between the number 0 and the letter O, a simple solution would be to not allow the letter O or the letter Q in any license plate number to avoid the confusion with the number 0. The letter I would be disallowed so that it would not be mistaken for the number 1.

3. Real police cannot cite every driver who violates the red light even if they were observed. Heavy traffic volumes may prevent the officer from pursuing the violator without creating a traffic hazard themselves.

4. Our state requires certain elements before a citation can be issued. One of which the image must show the traffic signal indication itself to remove doubt about the sensor falsely reporting a red indication. Some states issue the citation and points to the registered owner regardless of who's driving. Also, our state does not issue tickets to drivers making a right on red turn (yet). The image must clearly show that the driver is in the intersection, traveling straight through. Our cameras only snap an image if the light has been red about 2 seconds so there's no doubt about the violation. That extra 2 seconds would give the driver a minimum of 5 seconds to stop before entering the intersection.

5. The definition of the intersection border is questionable. Some municipalities use the stop bar as the intersection border, others use the on-side curb line (just past the on-side crosswalk) of the intersecting street as the intersection border. This makes a difference as to where the trigger point is for the camera. That difference could be as much as 20 feet. There is no standard as to where the trigger point is established.

[tahmelapachme33]

Welcome to the club. It's about money, not safety. Cheap policing. If safety mattered, police would attend, this is just a cash generator while undermanned and overworked police try and do something more important. That way they can claim to have done something about the problem when it hits the fan. Which it will.

[iker]

You send the ticket to the owner of the car like a parking ticket.

You make right turn on red illegal again. Many pedestrians and bicyclists are killed by drivers right turning on reds.

[matchitisiw]

RKO is correct...it's all about money. Any city that claims it's about safety is blowing smoke. It's been proven that if a city increases the duration of the yellow caution light by one second red light violations decrease and the frequency of rear end collisions are reduced. However with red light cameras rear enders go up. If a city or state were serious about safety they'd make the price of violating a traffic law so expensive that no one would be in violation. Would you speed if the fine were 1000.00? Or risk a red light violation if it meant it would cost you 2000.00?