Washington, DC – The following is the statement of U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), Highways and Transit Subcommittee Ranking Member, from today’s hearing – which Rep. Duncan requested – on the utilization and impacts of automated traffic enforcement, specifically red light and speed cameras:“I can assure you that you can never satisfy government’s appetite for more money or land. The last decade has seen a technology boom that has awarded government new ways to take more money from the taxpayer. Already, governments on all levels are taking about 40 percent of the average citizen’s income and government will continue to look for new ways to nickel and dime the taxpayer to death.
"Red light and speed cameras are popping up all over the Country. In 2008, $3.1 million in red light camera violations were issued in the City of Knoxville. Knoxville received $1.1 million, while the vendor received $2 million. Redflex, the company that operates the red light cameras in Knoxville, is an Australian company, so most of this revenue is going to foreign markets. Three of the largest photo enforcement vendors declined to testify."
“Recently, the State of Florida passed legislation allowing the use of red light cameras and they expect annual revenue generated by these cameras to be $200 million by 2013. These large dollar amounts tell me that this issue is more about raising revenue than making our nation’s roads safer.“While there have been a variety of studies that tout photo enforcement as a cost effective way of improving safety, there are other studies that show an increase in vehicle crashes after red light cameras were installed.
“The Washington Post analyzed a District of Columbia database generated from accident reports filed by police. Since the cameras were installed, the analysis shows that the number of crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled, from 365 collisions in 1998 to 755 in 2004. Injury and fatal crashes climbed 81 percent, from 144 such wrecks to 262.“Another such study, conducted by the Virginia Transportation Research Council, found a reduction in red light running crashes after red light cameras were installed but an overall increase in crashes and injuries due to more rear-end crashes.
“Some states and localities may be too quick to install photo enforcement techniques without first exhausting other techniques that can reduce red light running and improve safety. Improving sign visibility, installing advance warning flashers and adjusting yellow light intervals can have a positive impact. Numerous studies have found that longer yellow signal timing can reduce the frequency of red light running violations by as much as 50 percent.
“While these solutions may not fill government coffers as much as photo enforcement could, we owe it to our taxpayers to explore these engineering improvements that make our roads and highways safer. “If these cameras are really about safety, then let those who are fined donate these fines to private charities where the money will do far more good. In a column I once read, William Raspberry wrote about how private charities spend on average about 85 percent of their funds on their beneficiaries and about 15 percent on administrative costs, while with government welfare programs the opposite is true – about 85 percent is spent on administrative costs and salaries, and only 15 percent goes to the beneficiaries.“I look forward to hearing from our witnesses."
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