Associated Press photo
Tampa City Council approved a three-year contract on Thursday with American Traffic Solutions to install and maintain red light safety cameras at dangerous intersections.
Tampa City Council Approves Red-Light Cameras
Tampa Tribune/TBO.com (Florida), April 7, 2011
About a month after selecting American Traffic Solutions as its vendor to install and maintain a road safety camera program, the Tampa City Council accepted a three-year contract with the company on Thursday. “I think the evidence is strong that this will save lives,” Councilman Harry Cohen said.
L.A. Extends Red Light Safety Camera Contract
Daily News (California), April 5, 2011
An extension of up to three months for an expiring contract for the city’s controversial red-light camera program was approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Commission.
City Buys Defibrillators with Red Light Safety Camera Fines
KAET Channel 7, (Iowa), April 5, 2011
State Rep. Mark Brandenburg’s heart attack last month at a legislative coffee was a wake-up call for Council Bluffs to act on an idea it kicked around a year ago — purchase electronic defibrillators. The city has since bought 19 of the devices with money from red light camera fines, and will have them placed in public buildings.
Tennessee Lawmaker’s Right-on-Red Bill Defeated
Herald & Tribune, April 5, 2011
A legislator’s proposal to allow drivers to yield at red lights came to a halt last week. Under the proposal, motorists would no longer have to come to a complete stop before turning right on red, but instead would only have to yield.
Court, not City, Sets Traffic Fines in Capitola
SantaCruzLive.com (California), April 4, 2011
The Santa Cruz Superior Court sets vehicle fines. … The amount above $150.19 are fines, and administrative costs to the court. Also, the defendant’s previous driving record factors into the fine.
Call Goes Out to Keep Red Light Safety Cameras in L.A.
SafeRoadsSaveLives.org (Washington, D.C.), April 4, 2011
The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) has called on the city of Los Angeles to continue its highly successful red light safety camera program. NCSR president and executive director David Kelly said the program has proven it makes communities safer.
Commentary: Hallandale Mayor Says Cameras Protect Lives
TheLedger.com (Florida), April 6, 2011
Envision losing your grandparent, parent, sibling, spouse, friend or the unthinkable — a child — because a driver ran a red light. If you could, would you want to reduce the number of serious collisions on the streets of your community, and require drivers to be more responsible?
Editorial: No Sense in Unplugging Red Light Cameras so Quickly
Sun-Sentinel.com (Florida), April 6, 2011
A state Senate committee has now joined a House one in unwisely and prematurely backing a measure to rescind the blessing on red-light cameras the Legislature granted only last year. … The potential safety pluses outweigh the logistical kinks. It’s worth continuing this experiment.
Editorial: See a Red Light? Stop
FrederickNewsPost.com (Maryland), April 6, 2011
Cameras in Frederick have done what they are supposed to do: stop red light running and curtail crashes. Whether you like cameras or not, feel they are one small step toward a Big Brother state, or a vital tool for law enforcement, it’s hard to argue with their success.
Editorial: Don’t Repeal Life-Saving Red Light Camera Law
Bradenton Herald (Florida), April 5, 2011
Fresh opposition to Florida’s 2010 law establishing standards for cameras at intersections to capture motorists running red lights is again trying to frame the debate as a rights issue. … The innocent victims of reckless drivers barreling through red lights should be the focus of any rights debate — not the lawbreakers who kill and maim hapless souls in horrific collisions. … The right to life supersedes the ill-conceived privacy contention.
Letter to Editor: Cameras Approved too Late
TheLedger.com (Florida), April 6, 2011
I wish Haines City would have been using the red-light cameras on March 8 three years ago. Someone ran a red light at the corner of West Commerce Avenue and U.S. 27. Carol Grant might still be alive.
Letter to Editor: Red Light Violators Should Take Responsibility for their Actions
Napa Valley Register (California), April 6, 2011
If you make a mistake, and get caught on camera running a red light, take responsibility for it, pay the fine and be grateful no one got hurt, or worse.
Letter to Editor: Blame Hurried Drivers for Rear-End Collisions
FloridaToday.com, April 5, 2011
In response to Tuesday’s letter, “Red-light cameras cause collisions,” I think the major cause of the rear-end collisions cited by the writer is the bad driving habits of the second driver.
Letter to Editor: Red Means Stop
Amarillo-Globe News (Texas), April 5, 2011
As the spouse and parent of red-light running victims, I know all too well that one careless decision could have detrimental consequences, in many cases affecting innocent bystanders rather than those actually breaking the law.
Memphis Councilman Wants Speed Cameras
MyFoxMemphis, Channel 13 (Tennessee), April 6, 2011
To improve driver safety, Memphis city councilman Myron Lowery wants to add speed enforcement to the capability of red light cameras installed throughout the city. That means, red light cameras would start sending tickets to speeders caught by the cameras.
Driver Runs Red Light, Kills Jogger
The Sacramento Bee (California), April 6, 2011
Elk Grove police said the traffic signal had been red for several seconds when the driver entered the intersection and collided with the 53-year-old woman, who was out jogging.
Despite Opposition, Germantown, Tenn., Supports Intersection Cameras
MyFoxMemphis, Channel 13 (Tennessee), April 6, 2011
Video after video after video from the Germantown Police Department shows cars and even semi’s running red lights and slamming into other cars. One car can be seen running the light 31 seconds after it turned red. The city was the first in the state to get the cameras, in 2002.
If Only They Had Stopped
ATS Road Safety Channel, March 30, 2011
This in-house video shows the danger all motorists face when anyone runs a red light.
“Saving any life – how do you put a price on that? At this point, we feel very confident that this is an appropriate program.”
Tom McDonald, Los Angeles Police Department’s Emergency Operations Division captain
Los Angeles Daily News, April 5, 2011“Because of budget constraints and unfunded mandates, local governments have limited law-enforcement resources. Not being able to pay as many police officers is a challenge, but instead of putting cities and towns at risk with fewer officers on the streets, red-light traffic cameras can still effectively enforce the law, and allow officers to do their job — protect citizens.”
Joy Cooper, mayor of Hallandale Beach and president of Florida League of Cities
TheLedger.com, April 6, 2011“The automated enforcement program doesn’t just hang cameras in place and bring in money. … We’re all about what we can do to reduce the number of accidents at the intersection. It certainly has cut down on fatal crashes.”
Patrick Lawton, Germantown, Tenn., city administrator
MyFoxMemphis, Channel 13, April 6, 2011
Grand Rapids Press photo by Amanda Loman
The hospital has released the 8-year-old girl who escaped serious injuries in this red light running crash while standing on the sidewalk with her mother. Grand Rapids Press (Wyoming), April 7, 2011.
Maryland
At the intersection of Thomas Johnson Drive and Opossumtown Pike, in Frederick, the number of crashes dropped from 32 from 1999 to 2002 to three from 2009 to 2010. SOURCE: FrederickNewsPost.com, April 6, 2011.
National
More than four out of every five work zone fatalities are motorists, not construction workers. Drive carefully, National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 4-9. SOURCE: Federal Highway Administration, April 4, 2011.
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