Central Texas Civil Liberties Union

For immediate release: Nov. 1, 2006

Contact: Debbie Russell, 573-6194

RED LIGHT CAMERAS: PROFIT, NOT SAFETY

Austin City Council--Don't Install Red Light Cameras!

Tomorrow, City Council is voting to install invasive, expensive “red light cameras” to catch red light runners without trying proven, inexpensive solutions first. These systems violate due process and studies show they’re ineffective, regularly ticketing innocent people while rear-end collisions increase.

"If red light cameras truly reduced red light running, red light camera manufacturers would be putting themselves out of business." -- National Motorists Association

Councilmember Kim, the City’s main proponent, cites a lobbyist’s study (the Texas Research Board) as the sole source for “debunking” the multitudes of nationwide government and safety-institute studies which show rear-end collisions have risen anywhere from 8-81% where these programs have been implemented. Through open records requests, we have found city officials have met with lobbyists from the system manufacturers, but not with safety institutes or governmental agencies that have studied the systems and found enough ills to develop strict guidelines for the programs to be used supplementally, NOT as a first-step/“easy” fix.

If safety were the primary concern for Council, these studies would NOT be ignored and federal recommendations NOT taken lightly; engineer-proven alternatives would at least be STUDIED locally (the City has NOT performed any study) - if not implemented first; and we would not be putting the petal to the metal on an approximately $1.5 million dollar venture without first waiting to see how the program plays out in Houston, as Mayor Wynn said he’d do just before passing the resolution this summer. Observing the legal implications of the civil vs. criminal charge in Texas as it will inevitably play out in Houston first is only common sense. Why not start with the simplest, cheapest, least controversial method of increasing public safety?

"Councilmember Kim misinforms the public when she claims Red Light Cameras improve safety. Studies from cities nationwide prove they have INCREASED accidents. Just like tolling roads we've already paid for (and shockingly, some of the camera dealers are the same special interest profiteers), proponents of these programs place profits before the public interest and our families’ safety," --Sal Costello, People for Efficient Transportation

Co-Sponsor Cmbr. Leffingwell, instead of examining the engineering and political failures that have led to many accidents at busy intersections, has blamed Austinites for their negligence. Had he looked at the MULTITUDES of government studies that prove that red light running is not largely voluntary - that too-short yellow light times don’t allow drivers enough time to clear intersections - he might hesitate to put the burden of guilt on the driver…and NOT vote to put more burden on the taxpayers of this city with buying into a broken technological system.

He also asserts there is a “direct correlation between congestion and the incidents of running red lights.” Odd, as studies show that one of the proven solutions to red light running, timing lights to decrease the chances of drivers having to encounter red lights, also happens to alleviate congestion, and, I might add for the environmentally concerned member, happens to also decrease idling time at intersections, which cuts down on pollution.

Instead of buying into more safety woes and inevitable legal battles, council, VOTE NO TOMORROW!

"...red light cameras aren't fixing a safety problem, they're creating one."

- Office of the U.S. House Majority Leader, 2001