Not so fast: traffic cameras re-examined

Amid cries of Big Brother, overly stiff fines and conflicting traffic-safety data, the House Transportation Committee yesterday focused its lens on automatic traffic safety cameras. These small cameras are causing a big impact across Washington—21 cities across Washington now have camera systems, and more are surely considering them. Before the committee heard Rep. Christopher Hurst’s bill (2780), it held a work session on the overall issue, with perspectives from folks from the state Traffic Safety Commission, Department of Transportation and a traffic-camera vendor.

Hurst’s bill would limit fines to $25, require that yellow lights run for four seconds and reform the process for challenging infractions. He disputed the rosy public-approval statistics touted by the camera industry, saying that 99 percent of the people who’ve contacted him are unhappy with the camera systems. He cited a report by the Spokesman Review that actually noted an increase in crashes and injuries at intersections with red-light cameras.

Hurst and some committee members are skeptical of systems being seen as revenue generators by local jurisdictions. “When there’s a profit incentive, you have to be a little careful,” Hurst said, mindful that the public’s confidence in law enforcement could erode if these systems aren’t seen as fair. He wants fines to be set at a “break-even” level, not the fines of $100+ in some jurisdictions currently.

Critics of the bill testified that the existing system is working just fine—very well, even. Seattle reports that red-light runnings and traffic injuries have been reduced over the past two years, and that about 75 percent of fines are paid, indicating public acceptance. They also say traffic cameras are simply a cost-effective solution, since stationing an officer at an intersection would cost far more taxpayer money to do the same thing.

More info on HB 2780 is here.