Electronic National Dialogue on Transportation Operations
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Red Light Cameras

Posted By: Carlton C. Robinson <ccarlton@erols.com>
Date: Friday, 27 July 2001, at 7:20 p.m.

The red-light camera controversy is doing the traffic engineering profession grear harm -- call up: "THE RED LIGHT RUNNING CRISIS - Is it Intentional?" issued by staff of a minor Texas Congressman (Majority Leader Armey) at www.freedom.gov/auto. In a not-subtle way, this report charges our profession with venal objectives.

Better observance of traffic signals is an important sub-goal, but the real objective is maximum mobility with maximum safety, not (a) conformity with rules, (b) reducing red-light violations at one intersection(and forgetting the rest!), nor(c)padding local government's (and a few contractor's) treasuries with fine money.

I don't believe that many traffic professionals would deliberately reduce yellow intervals to make red-light cameras profitable but there are other observers who don't agree. (See Mr. Armey's diatribe, above.) But I do think our professional standards on yellow interval timing (ITE and MUTCD) are a disgrace!

We ought to fix the standards -- and we ought to adopt individually, locally and nationally (i.e. ITE) the principles of the "AUTOMATED TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT MODEL LAW" drafted by the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances, which provides (among other things) that:

1. Automated law enforcement systems may be utilized only at locations with high violations or high crash rates due to violations;

2. A traffic engineering analysis of the proposed site must be conducted in advance to verify that the location meets highway safety standards (i.e. proper sgnal design and timing.)

3. A public information campaign must precede the issuance of citations and continue throuhout the life of the program;

4. The compensation paid [to the supplier or contractor] for an automated law enforcement system may not be based on the amount of revenue generated by the system;

5. Revenues derived from the system must be utilized solely to fund highway safety functions and projects;

6. The implementing jurisdiction must initiate a formal evaluation of the program within three years of its establishment.

The NCUTLO Model Law may be obtained from the National Committee at 107 S. West Street, Suite 110
Alexandria VA 22314

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