Smile… you’re on camera

The Daily Texan Online article: Council OKs red-light cameras reveals the latest move to increase traffic safety in Austin.

The Austin City Council unanimously approved a pilot program to test automated red-light cameras at 15 intersections.
If the council decides to use the program permanently, it would punish drivers caught running red lights on camera with a civil offense. First-time violators would pay $75, and a double fine would be issued as a penalty for having three or more violations within a year.
The 60-day pilot program will begin testing red-light cameras in February. The council has not yet decided where the cameras will be located, and no citations will be issued during the test period.
As of July 2006, seven of Austin’s 35 traffic fatalities in 2006 involved running a red light, according to the Austin Police Department. The red-light camera program will reduce fatal crashes and injuries 25 percent at monitored intersections, according to the ordinance.

The program is expected to cost the city of Austin about $16 million over 15 years. However, it is expected to more than pay for itself with anticipated revenues of $1.3 million each year. We’ll have to wait and see what the results are from the pilot program. The ACLU is… not surprisingly against these cameras. Does it ever stop?

I think the safety is a valid issue. Honestly, I have run my fair share of red lights. Should I? No. I didn’t use to have that habit, but I sort of picked it up in Hawaii. Everyone there runs lights as the yellow lights tend to last forever. I also think the cameras continue to move our society to an automated one. Oh for the day when we have smart highways and I can catch a nap on those long road trips.

~ by ragamuffin280 on November 9, 2007.